From Kanu’s magic to Ajunwa’s golden leap—NSC honours Nigeria’s legendary Olympic moment 29 years after

The National Sports Commission (NSC) today commemorates the 29th anniversary of one of Nigeria’s most iconic sporting chapters—the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games—where the country claimed unprecedented gold in both men’s football and women’s long jump.

On August 3, 1996, the Olympic Eagles—led by the mercurial Nwankwo Kanu—etched their names in history by defeating Argentina 3-2 in a dramatic final at the Sanford Stadium in Atlanta, USA. Having stunned Brazil with a thrilling 4-3 comeback in the semifinals, Nigeria overcame two global football giants en route to becoming the first African nation to win Olympic gold in men’s football.

‘This was a moment that redefined African football,’ said Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission. ‘Today, we celebrate these icons from the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, who not only brought glory to Nigeria but inspired an entire continent with their courage and brilliance on the world stage.’

That same summer, Chioma Ajunwa soared into global stardom with a an African record leap-7.12m, winning gold in the women’s long jump. She became the first Black African woman to clinch Olympic gold in a field event.

Nigeria’s athletics team also lit up the centenary edition of the Games, securing four medals with a series of historic performances:

Falilat Ogunkoya opened the medal count on July 29 with a bronze in the women’s 400m, clocking an African-record time of 49.10 seconds—a mark that still stands today.

Mary Onyali earned her first individual Olympic medal in the 200m on August 1, 1996, diving across the finish line to bronze glory—four years after anchoring Nigeria to a 4x100m relay bronze in Barcelona.

Chioma Ajunwa’s golden leap followed a day later, capturing Nigeria’s second Olympic gold of the Games.

In the women’s 4x400m relay, the quartet of Olabisi Afolabi, Fatima Yusuf, Charity Opara, and Falilat Ogunkoya delivered silver and set a new African record of 3:21.04.

Together, these feats brought home six medals and etched Nigeria’s name into Olympic folklore—forever remembered as the moment the green-white-green soared higher than ever.