News
Paris 2024: Tobi Amusan pips Asisat Oshoala to Nigeria’s flagbearer
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has named athlete Tobi Amusan as the country’s flagbearer for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
She edged Nigeria’s senior women’s national team star, Asisat Oshoala as the team’s flagbearer.
Oshoala and her Super Falcons teammates will be making a return to the Olympics after 16-year hiatus since the Beijing 2008 in China.
Many would have thought the Bay FC forward would get the nod ahead of Amusan but the World Champion and African champion as far as 100m hurdles is concerned emerged ahead of the record African women’s players of the year winner.
Amusan with this announcement becomes the first athlete from Athletics in 20 years to have such honour.
Mary Onyali was the last athlete to be named the country’s flagbearer at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.
Amusan’s pedigree and records include World Championship gold in 100m hurdles (2022 Eugene), and gold at the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Diamond Leagues.
She is two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal in 100m hurdles at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
Meanwhile, the NOC also announced Badminton player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori as the General Team captain for the Games in Paris.
Team Nigeria will start their campaign at the Olympics when Super Falcons face Brazil in the women’s football event on Thursday.
