Nigeria Athletes has been a part of the Olympic games since 1952 when the West African nation made its debut in Helsinki Finland even though the country wasn't independent then.

As expected the country failed to win a single medal at its debut where it paraded just nine and it was not until 1964 in Tokyo (three editions later) when Nigeria registered a solitary Bronze medal.

Boxing would continue to be one of the sports where Nigeria has been successful sports at the Olympics but the next medal didn't come until the Munich Olympics in 1972 where another single bronze medal was recorded.

Athletes Who Wrote Nigeria's 25-Medal story At the Olympics Games




Nigeria punched to the bronze medal in the boxing event through Nojim Maiyegun in the light middleweight event, despite having 12 athletes.

The Boxer went on to have a bronze medal at the 1966 commonwealth games and also had 12 wins and 4 losses in 16 bouts in his pro-boxing career.

Again it was in boxing and this time it was Isaac Ikhouria who won a bronze medal and a year later he won a gold medal at the 1973 All-Africa Games.

Nigeria missed the Montreal Olympics in 1976, recorded no medal at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow but won more than a single medal at the Olympics for the first time at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with a silver and bronze medals.

Again Boxing brought in silver medal through Peter Konyegwachie at the Men's Featherweight (– 57 kg) while the quartet of Innocent Egbunike, Rotimi Peters, Moses Ugbusien, and Sunday Uti won bronze in Athletics, Men's 4 × 400 m Relay.


Four years later in Seoul, Nigeria brought naught in terms of medals but in Barcelona, Spain 1992, four medals came from two sports, you guessed right, Boxing and Athletics.

Beatrice Utondu, Faith Idehen, Mary Onyali and Christy Opara Thompson won bronze in Women's 4 × 100 m Relay while their male counterpart Oluyemi Kayode, Olapade Adeniken, Davidson Ezinwa, Chidi Imoh, and Osmond Ezinwa won silver Men's 4 × 100 m Relay.

Boxing delivered two silver medals David Izonritei in Boxing, Men's Heavyweight and Richard Igbineghu in Boxing, Men's Super Heavyweight.

Atlanta 1996 remains Nigeria's most successful outing at an Olympic event with six medals won. Two gold medals and one silver and three bronze medals.

The country's male football team won its first ever gold medal at the Olympics event beating the duo of Argentina and Brazil to the gold medal.

READ MORE: https://sportyleagues.com/athletes-who-wrote-nigerias-25-medal-story-at-the-olympics-games/