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Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria, Ghana dey ginger to bring Olympics glory for West Africa

Tokyo 2020logo E leff one week to di start of di Summer Olympics for Tokyo, Japan

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 Source: BBC

Na one week remain for di start of di Summer Olympics for Tokyo, Japan as countries all over di world ready for victory and glory.

West African countries too follow with di hope say dia athletes go shine inside event wey don already witness one year delay because of di pandemic.

Di last time wey Ghana win medal for Olympics na for 1992 and currently none of dia athletes be strong contender.

But Ghana Olympic Committee oga Ben Nunoo Mensah bin tok for August 2020 say hope dey because “for sports anything fit happun”.

But oda kontris get more belief pass dis - like Nigeria wey don win 3 gold medals - including di famous one for Atlanta 1996 wia dem beat Brazil for men’s football final.

Make we torchlight how West Africa dey ready to showcase demsef dis time around.

Ghana

First Olympics medal:1960

Total Olympics medals: 4 - Boxing (3); Football (1)

Tokyo 2020 delegates: 14 athletes

Tokyo 2020 sport events: Boxing, Judo, Athletics, Weightlifting

Athlete(s) to watch

Nadia Eke - Triple Jump

Accra-born Eke na key hope for Ghana because of her years of experience and ogbonge training for di United States.

28-year old Eke bin first win bronze for di 2015 African Games for Brazzaville, after which she carry gold for 2016 di Africa Championships wey happun for South Africa.

Na she go also be di flag bearer for di Ghana Olympics team.

Nigeria

First Olympics medal: 1964

Total Olympics medals: 25 - Athletics (13); Football (2); Boxing (6); Weightlifting (2); Taekwondo (1)

Tokyo 2020 delegates: 55 athletes

Tokyo 2020 sport events: Athletics; Badminton; Basketball; Canoe sprint; Gymnastic; Rowing; Taekwondo; TableTennis; Wrestling

Athlete(s) to watch

Blessing Okagbare - Athletics (various)

32-year old Blessing ‘Mountain’ Okagbare go dey compete for her third Olympics in a row, in order to add to her 2008 Silver medal for Beijing.

She dey versatile as she dey compete for different events like Long jump, sprint and relay. Although she only qualify for 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay for di 2020 Olympics.

In total she don personally win 12 gold medals for her career inside competitions across di world.

Nigeria Women Basketball team

Although na dia men counterpart dey tori now for dia victory over Team USA and Argentina for friendly basketball match dem play recently, na Nigerian female Basketball team many dey torchlight to carry medal return.

D’Tigress (wey be dia nickname) na di current AfroBasket champions, after dem carry gold for di contienental competition for 2019. Dis go ginger dem to do di same on di work stage.

Ivory Coast

First Olympics medal:1984

Total Olympics medals: 3 - Taekwondo (2); Athletics (1)

Tokyo 2020 delegates: 28 athletes

Tokyo 2020 sport events: Archery, Football, Judo, Rowing, Taekwondo, Athletics

Athlete(s) to watch

Cheick Sallah Cissé - Taekwondo

2016 Olympics Gold medallist Cisse go dey look to defend im title for di 80Kg category. Cisse na also di athlete wey help im kontri to win dia first and only gold medal.

Di 2020 Olympics for Tokyo, Japan go run from 23 July to 8 August, 2021.



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Source: BBC