July, 31 2022.
With competitions now up and running at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Team Nigeria will be hoping to improve on its tally of 24 medals she won in Gold Coast, Australia at the last Games.
Team Nigeria is blessed with athletes who will definitely hold their own down, in all nine sports the country is competing in. However here is a highlight of 5 top medal prospects for the country.
1. Oluwatobiloba Amusan: Tobi is currently the fastest woman in the history of the 100m Hurdles in the world, after smashing the event's world record at the World Athletics Championship, in Eugene, Oregon and then going on to win Gold too. Amusan is going into the Commonwealth Games to defend the crown she won at the last Commonwealth Games. Strength, technicality, speed and agility define Tobi's features as an athlete. It is a no brainer mentioning she would be laying down the gauntlet for the rest of her rivals in Birmingham.
2. Ese Brume: Ese Brume's stock has risen rapidly year on year. From the African Junior Championship Gold in 2013 to Commonwealth Games Gold in 2014, to Bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to winning silver at the World Athletics Championship, she is now a global phenomenon to be reckoned with in long jump. Brume was not at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, but with a comeback now in 2022, she's expected to dazzle, just as she did in 2014.
3. Blessing Oborodudu: Nigeria has remained a global force in wrestling, picking medals at almost every international tourney. Blessing Oborodudu has been a top performer in the sport for Nigeria. Blessing is an 11-time African champion. Apart from her first appearance at the African Wrestling Championship where she won bronze (Casablanca 2009), Oborodudu has Gold in every other appearance (11 times). She won a silver medal in the 2020 Olympics and will be favourite in the 68kg Women's Wrestling, in which she's the defending champion.
4.Odunayo Adekuoroye: There would be two "Adekuoroyes" at the Games, as the younger sister to Odunayo, would also be representing Nigeria. Wrestling, sure runs in the blood. Odunayo has a 100% record going on for her at the Commonwealth Games. In her maiden appearance in 2014, she won Gold in the 53kg class, at the last edition in Gold Coast, she also won another Gold, in the 57kg class. She is yet another African champion after her heroics at the 2022 African Wrestling Championship in El Jadida. Watch out for Odunayo!
5. Folashade Oluwafemiayo is one amongst the many para athletes that would make Nigeria proud in Birmingham. The Women's Para -Powerlifter won a gold medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo (86kg), which bettered her silver medal at London 2012 Olympics (75kg). Folashade has won the World Championships on three straight occasions, and she is currently a world Champion. She would definitely be going for gold, this time around, in Birmingham.
While these five athletes represent good medal prospects for Nigeria, alot of other athletes in the Nigerian contingent are also well-within the frame to pick medals at the games. The Nigerian team in general constitutes winners, with big hearts, who have promised to put in the performance for the country, in tandem with the Minister of Sports charge for podium performance from all athletes.