Paris 2024: Nigeria’s final hope, Hannah Reuben set for wrestling showdown

After 14 days of disappointment, Team Nigeria’s hopes for an Olympic medal rest on the shoulders of wrestler Hannah Reuben.

On Saturday, she will embark on a final quest for glory in the Women’s Freestyle 76 kg wrestling event, Nigeria’s last chance to avoid an eighth medal-less Olympic outing.

Reuben’s journey begins against Mongolia’s Enkh Amarýn Davaanasan, and the nation holds its breath.

The weight of expectation is immense, as she is Nigeria’s last athlete standing in Paris.

The country’s wrestling team had high hopes, but unexpected defeats suffered by Blessing Oborududu and Odunayo Adekuoroye dashed those dreams.

Three other wrestlers attempted to make a mark, but none progressed far enough to reach the podium.

Friday was a dismal day for Nigeria. Top favourite Tobi Amusan failed to make the final of the 100m Hurdles event, and the 4X400m men’s relay team was disqualified after running the race of their lives.

The day’s heartbreak was completed when Joy Eze finished seventh in the women’s 71 kg Weightlifting event, lifting a total of 232kg.

She became the 87th Nigerian athlete to exit the Games without a medal, across 12 sports.

Nigeria had entered Football, Table Tennis, Basketball, Athletics, Cycling, Canoeing, Badminton, Boxing, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, and Swimming, but all ended with no colour of medal for the country.

Hannah Reuben, a gold medalist at the 13th African Games Gold in Ghana now carries the nation’s hopes.

Will she break the curse and secure Nigeria’s first medal in Paris? The answer will be revealed by the end of today’s event.

Eighth barren outing?

As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games reach their climax, Nigeria finds itself staring into the abyss of an eighth medal-less outing at the Olympic Games.

The nation’s Olympic woes date back to Helsinki in 1952 when Nigeria made its debut at the games. Subsequent disappointments include Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960, Mexico City in 1968, Moscow in 1980, Seoul in 1988, and London in 2012.