2023 World University Games: Nigeria will be seeking to win first gold medal in 26 years

The Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) is hoping to take a team of 100 to the Summer World University Games in Chengdu this July in a bid to return to the podium as champions.

NUGA acting general secretary Chidiebere Ezeani says the 2023 World University Games is another opportunity for the students to bring glory to their fatherland.

“This is indeed a great opportunity for Nigerian students to showcase talents on a global stage and bring glory to the nation,” Ezeani said.

Nigerian student-athletes last made it to the podium at the Games in 1997 when Angela Atiede and Clement ran 13.16 and 44.81 in the 100m hurdles and 400m respectively.

All of Nigeria’s gold medals have come in track and field with the 1983 Games the best so far in terms of numbers of gold medals won.

Innocent Egbunike ran 20.42 to win the 200m title while Yusuf Alli leapt a distance of 8.21m to take the long jump gold.

Ajayi Agbebaku hopped, stepped and jumped 17.26m to set a lifetime best and national record on his way to winning the gold medal in the triple jump while Sunday Uti was unstoppable in the 400m, running 45.32 to win the title.

Interestingly, Agbebaku took that form to win Nigeria’s first medal at the World Athletics Championships while the duo of Egbunike and Alli made it to the final of the 200m and long jump, finishing sixth and eighth respectively.

Chidi Imoh won the men’s 100m two years later in Kobe, Japan while Egbunike stepped up to succeed Uti as 400m champion.

Olabisi Afolabi’s victory in the 400m at Fukuoka 1995 was the first by a Nigerian woman at the World University Games.

Nigeria wants to compete in athletics, swimming, badminton, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, and tennis.