At the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympics, several female athletes of Nigerian descent who were representing other countries shown bright at the tournament both individually and as a team.
From shotput to basketball and the relay teams, these individuals won medals with some making history thereby highlighting Nigeria’s rich talent.
Here are eight female athletes of Nigerian descent who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
1. Chiaka Ogbogu (Volleyball)
Born April 15, 1995, in New Jersey to Igbo parents, Chiaka Ogbogu is a player for the American professional volleyball team. Her parents moved to Texas Dallas shortly after she was born where she grew up.
Ogbogu has been part of the United States National Team since 2018. She was part of the team that won Team USA’s first-ever Olympic gold in volleyball at Tokyo 2020. In Paris 2024, the 29-year-old helped her team win the silver medal.
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2. Yemisi Ogunleye (Shotput)
Yemisi Ogunleye was born on October 3, 1998, in Germersheim, Germany to a Yoruba father and a German mother. She made history by winning gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the women’s shot put with a throw of 20.m. Her victory also marked Germany’s first gold in the event since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996.
Quite interestingly, Ogunyele had never thrown 19 metres before May 2023.
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3. Salwa Eid Naser (400m)
Originally born Ebelechukwu Antoinette Agbapuonwu, Salwa Eid Naser is a Nigerian-born Bahraini sprinter who specializes in the 400 meters. She was born on 23 May 1998 in Onitsha, Anambra, to a Nigerian mother and Bahrain-born father. Her mother, also a sprinter helped discover her daughter’s talent.
Salwa and her family moved to Bahrain before she was 14. She switched allegiance to the Asian country, converted to Islam, and changed her name in 2014. She was the 2019 World champion with the third fastest time in history of 48.14 seconds, becoming the youngest-ever champion in the event and also the first woman representing an Asian nation to win that event at a World Championships.
The 26-year-old scooped the silver medal in the 400m race.
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4. Loveth Omoruyi (Volleyball)
Born 25th August 2002, Oghosasere Loveth Omoruyi plies her trade for the Italian volleyball team. In 2020, she set a Guinness World Record for most consecutive wins of a women’s volleyball team back.
Her team took gold as they saw off the US in the women’s volleyball event finals. She has taunted to be the Next Big Thing in Volleyball.
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5. Annette Echikunwoke (Hammer Throw)
Born on 29 July 1996, Annette Nneka Echikunwoke gave the United States its first-ever Olympic medal in the women’s hammer throw event by winning silver.
She wanted to represent Nigeria but after her disqualification at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she switched allegiance to the United States.
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6. Eziyoda Magbegor (Basketball)
Born in 1999, Eziyoda Magbegor is an Australian basketball player. The Seattle Storm player led Australia to win the bronze medal over Belgium in the women’s basketball event at the Paris Olympics. Magbegor scored 30 points in the match, while also contributing 13 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, and two steals.
She was born in New Zealand to Nigerian parents but moved to Australia with her family at age six. She is a two-time World Cup medallist, WNBL, WNBA, and Hungarian Cup winner.
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7. Victoria Ohuruogu (4x400m)
Victoria Ohuruogu is an athlete from Great Britain who specializes in the 400 metres. She was part of the quartet team that won bronze in the women’s 4x400m relay. She is the younger sister of Christine Ohuruogu, a World and Olympic champion in the 400 metres.
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8. Yemi John (4x400m)
Yemi Mary John was also a member of the British 4x 400m relay team, playing a significant role in their bronze medal finish.
She was born on May 3, 2003, to a Nigerian father, Christopher Olanrewaju John, and an Italian mother Gabriella Faciotti who lives in London.
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