PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
The Nigerian women were simply magnificent. The Super Falcons advanced to the 2024 Olympics with a spectacular performance after winning the Afrobasket championship, and a female boxer became the first Nigerian to earn an African boxing title, all in the outgoing year. Our reporter, Samuel Akpan, takes a look at the year and concludes that the women fared better than the men.
In 2023, women dominated the Nigerian sporting landscape by toppling records spectacularly, while the Super Eagles and D’Tigers delivered abysmal performances for the opposite gender during the same year.
Nigeria is renowned for producing athletes of international caliber, and the accomplishments of its female athletes are of the utmost importance. Despite societal and cultural barriers, Nigerian women have consistently demonstrated exceptional athletic prowess, thereby contributing to the nation’s grandeur.
In the year 2023, the Nigerian women once again demonstrated their prowess by winning the Afrobasket championship. Additionally, a female boxer became the first Nigerian woman to secure an African boxing title in 2024, and the Super Falcons dazzled their way to the Olympics.
The D’Tigres
Fear barriers were banished at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, where the D’Tigres defeated Senegal 84-74 to earn their fourth consecutive FIBA Afrobasket championship
D’Tigres, under the leadership of coach Rena Wakama, became the first group in the last forty years to win four consecutive Women’s Afrobasket championships with their victory in Rwanda.
The Nigerian women reclaimed the women’s basketball championship in 2017 after a 12-year trophy drought. The team has since won spectacularly in 2019, 2021, and 2023.
Wakama, who was appointed less than a month before the championship in Rwanda, achieved historic proportions by becoming the first female coach to triumph in the competition since its inception in 1966. Wakama’s return to Africa after 57 years of male dominance in women’s basketball is a thrilling and welcome development.
The dynamic transformation will be necessary in 2024, when the D’Tigers will confront the most formidable opponents globally in the Olympic Qualifiers.
The draw for the Nigerian Ladies’ Group in Tournament 2 took place in Hungary. They will encounter Senegal, the United States, and the hosts, Belgium, in their group.
The United States of America has won the last seven Olympic gold medals and is the defending champion.
Additionally, they are ranked first globally.
Belgium, meanwhile, holds the sixth position globally and is regarded as a dominant force in women’s basketball.
A familiar adversary, Senagal is positioned twentyth globally and is the lowest-ranked team in the division. They are nine places below the Nigerian ladies, who are ranked eleventh and hold the highest ranking in Africa.
U-21 Women’s Volleyball
The 2023 African U-21 Nations Women’s Volleyball Championship Zone 3 was won by Nigeria in Niamey, Niger Republic, marking the first time Nigeria had ever won a trophy at the juvenile level.
The year 2023 was a banner year for the female athletes.
Following the Nigerian side’s 3:0 (25-10 25-15 25-10) victory over Ghana in the finals, the team’s coach, Rakiya Mohammed, expressed gratitude to God for the triumph.
She remarked: “We give thanks to God because this is the inaugural time Nigeria has won a trophy at the youth level. Everything makes me so happy.
“The Ghanaians gave their all, but the girls demonstrated their value, and as a result, our team has advanced to Thailand for the world championship.
Super Falcons
The remarkable season of 2023 concluded for the Super Falcons with the women’s category of team of the year at the 2023 CAF Awards, which were held in Morocco.
The nine-time Africa Champions from Nigeria were crowned the team of the year after defeating Morocco.
Nigeria advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA World Cup, where they were eliminated in a high-octane football penalty shootout by the three Lionesses of England.
The ladies carried the flag of Nigeria exceptionally high as they played each game with fervor, resolve, and the Nigerians’ never-say-die mentality.
Five points were awarded to them for placing second in the Group B standings, one point behind co-hosts Australia. It was the first time since that competition’s opening phase that Nigeria completed without suffering a loss.
Following the quarterfinal match against England, Nigerian defender Ashleigh Plumptre expressed her sentiments regarding the penalty shootout outcome:
“It was a disheartening outcome, but I felt a sense of pride for each player because we exerted our utmost effort.”
At the individual level, Asisat Oshoala, colloquially referred to as the “Agba baller,” retained her position as the footballer with the most victories and was named the 2023 CAF Women’s Player of the Year.
In addition to 2022, Oshoala was named the preeminent African female footballer in 2014, 2016, and 2017.
Additionally, Chiamaka Nnadozie of Nigeria was named the Women’s Keeper of the Year.
Michelle Alozie and Osinachi Ohale, both of Nigerian descent, comprised the CAF women’s best XI.
Female Boxing
In June, Adijat ‘Dija’ Gbadamosi, a Nigerian female boxer, achieved historical significance by becoming the first Nigerian woman to secure an African boxing championship.
In the fifth of their scheduled ten rounds, Gbadamosi, a 2018 youth Olympic silver medalist, defeated Patience Mastara, a Zimbabwean soldier girl, via technical knockdown to claim the Africa Super Bantamweight female championship.
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