The Nigeria Boxing Federation vice president Azania Omo-Agege believes there is a world champion in the making amongst the boxers selected to represent Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers next month in Senegal, The PUNCH reports.
The final training and selection of the pugilists that will represent the country at the African qualifiers took place on Monday in Lagos.
The African qualifying campaign will be held in Dakar from September 6 to 16.
Nigeria, once one of Africa’s boxing hopes at the Olympic Games, has suffered setbacks in recent Games.
The country has not won any medal in the event since Duncan Dokiwari’s bronze medal in the super heavyweight class in 1996.
In fact, Nigeria has found it difficult qualifying for the event, with the country presenting only a boxer at the Rio 2016 Games and failing to qualify for the event at the Japan 2020 edition.
However, according to the Omo-Agege, who currently doubles as the interim African Boxing Confederation president, Team Nigeria will have someone worthy of claiming gold at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.
“Boxing is one of the sports that Nigerians have always been known to shine and I believe that these young men and women will be able to bring back the glory days and secure qualification for the Olympics,” Omo-Agege told The PUNCH.
“We have seen them all give their best and we are confident that we have the very best out of these elite few to represent the nation at the Olympics in Paris and I think the next world champion is among them.”
A total of 14 Nigerian boxers across seven weight categories trained at the National Stadium in Lagos, ahead of the qualifiers.
“We have a mandate to ensure we are in the Olympics this time,” said NBF Secretary General Dapo Akinyele. The recent Africa Boxing Championships saw Nigeria finish seventh overall with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Boxing is Nigeria’s third most successful Olympic sport having won three silvers and three bronze medals. The NBF will hope this new generation of boxers like the talented Olaore Adams and Patricia Mbata can add to that tally.
The Olympic qualifying event promises to be highly competitive with Africa’s top boxing nations vying for the limited spots. The NBF has put together an intensive training program in Lagos and the UK to give Nigeria’s boxers the best possible preparation as they aim to qualify and make their mark in Paris 2024.
