I n the past two weeks, I have been trying to write on the Olympic Games but crucial events from other areas especially football have enveloped my thoughts. Even now, too many other issues are still there as subjects of discourse. The Super Eagles manager is yet to be named, the female U-20 women’s team is getting set to compete at the FIFA World Cup later in the year just as the teams competing in the continental games needs to be evaluated. Beyond Nigeria, the European Championship 2024 ended just last week in Germany with crucial lessons for all those who are ready to learn all over the world. The top stars rated high did not perform at the competition. Kylian Mbakppe, in the colours of France, performed well below expectations, EPL’s Player of the Season, Phil Foden, was a shadow of himself with England unlike his good run with Manchester City. Cristiano Ronaldo in the colours of Portugal averagely did well but without a single goal in any game except in the penalty shootouts.
Those who rose to the occasion were the youths. Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal were the toast of the fans. Yamal clocked his 17th year during the tournament while William is just 22 years old. There were other young players like Cole Palmer and Kobe Mainoo in the colours of England. The 21-year-old Jamal Musiala of Germany was also a revelation. Yamal, Musiala and William were named in the 11-man Team of the Tournament. Luis de la Fuente, the manager of Spain, is a genius. He won the European Championship for Spain at the U-19 and U-21 levels before the triumph at the senior level in Germany.
They were the best team and deserved to win. Lesson is about the youth as key components to get results in sports today, just as it is important to allow continuity and transition in management to prevail in every area of sports endevour. However, the Olympic Games come up every four years and it is on record that the games bring together the biggest assemblage of people all over the world at a particular time or period. The 2024 edition, which is the 33rd Olympiad, starts officially in another five days in Paris, France with about 10,500 athletes on parade competing in 329 events across 32 sports disciplines. The statistics are enough to understand how big this competition is. It is no doubt the biggest sports event across the globe in any way you look at it. The Government of France has spent over N4bn for the forthcoming games.
N1.4m of the money was used to purify the Siene River billed to host the swimming event of the games. Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, took a dip in the Seine River on Wednesday, fulfilling a promise she made months ago to show the river is clean enough to host open-swimming competitions of the games. For the opening ceremony billed for July 26th, 45,000 French police officers are expected on duty together with 18,000 soldiers and 2,000 foreign police (Interpol). And so, all is set for the event as Nigeria files out with 87 athletes, comprising 25 men and 62 women. The preparation has not been as adequate as expected but it is important to state that wrestling with six women and one man is the biggest hope for Nigeria. Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume are also among the favourites in the women 100m hurdles and Long Jump respectively but the stakes are quite higher now. The team events in which the women’s teams, D’Tigress and Super Falcons, will compete in basketball and football, are too tough to expect a podium finish.
The Falcons arrived in the French city of Bordeaux on Thursday night to emerge the very first Nigerian team to get to the venue. The last time the team took part at the Olympics was 16 years ago and history has not been good for the country’s representatives. Brazil, Spain and Japan are the teams in Nigeria’s group and the Randy Waldrum girls must tear the record books to qualify from the group. At the Beijing 2008 Games in China, Falcons lost 1-0 to Korea Democratic People’s Republic and Germany respectively before losing 3-1 to eventual silver medallists, Brazil. Olympic Games bring out the best in athletes and so far Nigeria has won only three gold medals in the history of the global event.
What the future holds for Team Nigeria is difficult to predict but it is important for the ministry of sports and the Nigeria Olympic Committee to come up with their A game by motivating the athletes to excel in Paris. For lovers of sports, this summer has been very exciting with the amazing games witnessed in the Euros and now the Olympic Games are here. Let the games begin!
