The true ‘weight’ ofThe true ‘weight’ of expectation fell on the likes of Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Ndidi Nwosu,Roland Ezuruike and NdidiNwosu to bring home gold from the 2018 Common wealth Games,with the not-too-surprising Bronze for the Women’s 4x100 metre runners to the shock of Quadri Aruna’s gold inthe men's table tennis, Team Nigeria’s 9th position in the recent Common wealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast provided mixed bag amid the elation of what was largely a very successful 2018 celebration of sport.
Whilst Patience Okon-George,Glory Nathaniel, Praise Idamaduduand Yinka Ajayi won silver for Nigeria, with a time of 3m:25.29s,in their showpiece 4x400m Final event, from Suwaibidu Galadima’sT47 100 metre gold, and, equally, Blessing Oborududu’s Women's Freestyle 68 kg Wrestling win,the total of 9 Golds, 9 Sivers and 6 Bronze medals proved what was probably expected by many, though some might put it as; ‘am opportunity lost’ for a generation of superbly tuned athletes primed for greater success than ever before on the world stage.
“Congratulations to my Nigerian brothers and sisters on an awesome Commonwealth Games,” said Nigerian international football captain, John Mikel Obi.The former Chelsea midfield superstar, who is now plying his trade with Tianjin TEDA inthe Chinese Super League, was speaking ahead of him leading the Super Eagles onto their Russian adventure – and the FIFA World Cup Finals.Tayo Oreweme, Director of Federations and Elite Athletes Department, said that Nigeria’s Ministry of Youths and Sports Development did everything to ensure the country’s surpasses all expectations at Gold Coast 2018 and they made Nigeria very proud.“We did everything we possibly could for the Games in the Gold Coast,” she said, “as soon as we returned from the Games in Glasgow.”The overall results at the end of the Games proved encouraging asTeam Nigeria now start to focuson the 2020 Olympics Games inTokyo.
