Published March 25, 2024.
By Chinwendu Eugene .T.
The 13th African Games concluded in a celebratory atmosphere on Saturday in Accra, Ghana.
Team Nigeria secured a second-place finish in the final medal table with 120 medals (47 gold, 33 silver, and 40 bronze).
While the overall medal count was lower than the 130 medals won in Morocco, the Ghana outing yielded a slight increase in gold medals.
Weightlifting emerged as the goldmine for Nigeria, with lifters amassing an impressive 16 gold medals alongside 10 silver and 6 bronze medals.
Athletes like Adijat Olarinoye, Rafiatu Lawal, and Edidiong Umoafia achieved triple gold feat in their respective weight categories.
Athletics followed closely behind as another major contributor to Nigeria’s success. Not only did it deliver 11 gold medals, it also produced a series of exceptional and unforgettable performances.
Tobi Amusan successfully defended her 100m hurdles title, becoming the first high hurdler to win three consecutive gold medals at the Games.
Ese Brume made history by becoming the second woman to retain a long jump title after Modupe Oshikoya.
Chidi Okezie delivered another historic moment, winning Nigeria’s first 400m gold medal in 37 years.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi secured his place in history as the first Nigerian to retain a Shot Put gold medal at the Games.
Chinecherem Nnamdi set a new national record of 82.80m in javelin, adding his name to the list of Nigerian history makers.
Nigeria dominated the relay races, winning all but one. The team secured the Mixed Relay with an African Record, followed by victories in both men’s and women’s 4x100m events.
The women’s 4x400m relay team continued their legacy by winning their 10th consecutive gold in the Games’ history.
Anuoluwapo Opeyori delivered the first gold medal for Nigeria in Ghana by defeating his compatriot Godwin Olofua in the men’s singles badminton event. While some sports like cricket, swimming, and handball may not have secured gold medals, their performances were still commendable.
The Games also brought a few disappointments for Nigeria.
The men’s football team (Flying Eagles) underperformed, and the Falconets fell short of claiming gold.
Similarly, the inability to win any gold medals in Table Tennis was a setback.
