Nigeria have been participating in the Summer Olympics since 1952 and has brought home 25 medals. Watching athletes from your home country compete against athletes from around the world is incredibly exciting.
Just watching the Olympics doesn’t always feel like enough though, sometimes you want to feel closer to the action. Betting on the sports you’re watching is one way to do that. There are many sportsbooks and if you follow these steps on how to open bet9ja account you can get started right away. Let’s take a look at some of Nigeria’s most memorable Olympic moments.
The Nigerian national under-23 football team has received medals at the Olympics in 1996, 2008 and 2016, but it is their 1996 performance that is the most memorable moment. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, Nigeria won the gold medal after beating both Brazil and Argentina. In the most dramatic match of the series, Brazil was leading by 3-1 at the end of the first half, making it seem that Nigeria was sure to lose. The team refused to give up and dominated the second half, scoring in the 78th and 90th minutes and then scoring the winning goal in the 4th minute of extra-time. They went on to beat Argentina in the final and made history as the first African team to win the gold.
One of Nigeria’s most memorable Olympic moments comes from not competing. The Olympic Games symbolise community and togetherness as countries from all over the world come together for friendly competition. This makes protests at the Olympics even more powerful as they have a world audience. In 1976, Nigeria, alongside 27 other countries (mostly African), chose to make a stand against Apartheid and boycott the Olympic Games. This was an important moment because it forced the rest of the world to acknowledge the devastating effects of Apartheid and made it impossible for the Western world to pretend they couldn’t see what was happening.
Boxing has been a popular sport in Nigeria for decades. The crowds that came out to see Muhammed Ali on his visit to Lagos in 1964 are evidence of that. Nigerian athletes have received medals in boxing at five Olympic Games. It is super heavyweight David Izonritei’s, also known as David Izon, silver medal win at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona that is the most memorable. He managed to beat both David Tua (New Zealand) and Kirk Johnson (Canada) before losing to Félix Savón (Cuba) in a shocking defeat. Izon’s fierce fight inspired many young fighters across the country.
All the focus right now might be on the Summer Olympics, but we can’t forget the 2018 women’s bobsled team and skeleton racer. True, they didn’t win any medals, but by participating in these events, they opened the way for future generations of athletes who are interested in competing in more unusual sports.
The Olympics are a fun and exciting time for the whole world. No matter how many medals Nigeria brings home this year, it will be interesting to see what memorable sports moments lie ahead.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
