Tokyo Olympics: Team Nigeria’s First Batch Departs For Japan Today

Team Nigeria contingent to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will depart the country today, July 6, for the final leg of their preparations scheduled for Kisarazu in Japan.

The first batch of the athletes and their officials who have been involved in intensive training at their Abuja Camp rounded off their home leg of preparations yesterday,CityNews Nigeria reports.

The minister of youth and sports development, Mr Sunday Dare, top officials of the Ministry and president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel are expected to send forth the first batch of the athletes at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

According to the director, Federation of Elites Athletes Department (FEAD) of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Dr Simeon Ebhojiaye, members of the Canoeing team, Ayomide Bello and her coach, Ebenezer Ukwunna; Esther Toko and her coach, Regina Enofe of Rowing event, alongside the secretary general, Olubunmi Oluode, will depart through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by Ethiopian Airline.

Also in the team is the SA on Sports to the Minister, Ambassador Mary Onyali, medical crew of Dr. Samuel Ogbondeminu, Messrs Okoh Joseph, Abdulsalam Shuaibu and Ekundayo Ogunkunle.

The second batch of the Team Nigeria’s contingent will depart on July 13, 2021.

Team Nigeria will be competing in nine sports at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics which runs from July 23 to August 8, 2021, while the Paralympians will be competing in four sports from August 24 to September 5, 2021.

Nigeria has qualified 61 athletes across nine sports for the Olympics, and 22 athletes in four sports for the Paralympic Games. These are: Athletics-22, Badminton-3, Basketball-24, Canoe sprint-1, Gymnastic-1, Rowing-1, Taekwondo-1, TableTennis-1, Wrestling-1 which sums up to 61 and for Paralympic Games we have; Para Athletics-5, Para Powerlifting-10, power rowing-1, Para Table Tennis-6 summing up to 22.”