The Federal Ministry of Sports has disclosed the list of sports in which Nigeria will partake at the 13th African Games set to take place in Ghana from March 8 to March 23. Additionally, the ministry unveiled the athletes and sports that have qualified for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, France, scheduled from July 26 to Aug. 11.
During a meeting with various sports federations in Abuja on Thursday, Amaka Ashiofu, the Acting Director of Federation, Elites, and Athletes Development (FEAD), announced that Nigeria would engage in 23 sports at the African Games. These include athletics, badminton, cycling, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, wrestling, arm wrestling, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, cricket, football, handball, hockey, judo, karate, rugby, taekwondo, volleyball, and weightlifting.
Ashiofu highlighted that the African Games would feature three demonstration sports: mixed martial arts, scrabble, and teqball.
Concerning the Paris Olympics preparations, Ashiofu mentioned that Nigeria would participate in 12 sports with a focus on achieving podium finishes. The sports include athletics, boxing, canoeing, wrestling, basketball women, badminton, football women, rowing, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, and weightlifting.
Ashiofu provided updates on qualified athletes, such as Tobi Amusan for Women’s 100m, Ezekiel Nathaniel in men’s 400m, and Edose Egbadi in Men’s 800m for athletics. In boxing, Olaitan Olaore, Dalapo Omole, and Cynthia Ogunsimilore have qualified in their respective categories. Other qualified athletes were listed for canoeing, road race, and wrestling, with ongoing efforts to secure more qualifications.
The Acting Director of Para Sports, Thecla Opara, discussed Nigeria’s participation in the Paralympics, revealing plans to engage in five sports, including Para athletics, Para Powerlifting, Para Table Tennis, Para Badminton, and Para Canoeing. Opara detailed the progress in athlete qualification for each sport and assured ongoing efforts to identify camps in Abuja and Lagos for training in preparation for the Games.
Quest: Cris-Edesiri Odjomah