Three ‘Nigerians’ in race for Paris 2024 Olympics medals on Friday

Three athletes with Nigerian blood running in their veins but who compete for other countries will be in the race for medals on day 9 of the track and field event at the Stade de France in Saint-Dennis, Paris on Friday.

Two of the athletes will fight for medals in the women’s 400m while the other one will be aiming for one in the women’s Shot Put.

Salwa Eid Nader, formerly Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, will be competing in the 400m final for Bahrain and ran a 49.08 personal season’s best, the fastest time in qualifying for her first Olympics final.

She was World 400m champion in 2019 and will now be seeking to be the first ‘Nigerian’ to win a World and Olympic title, the same historic feat a bonafide Nigerian, Tobi Amusan will not be able to achieve after crashing out of the 100m hurdles at the semifinal stage.

Also in the 400m, Rhasidat Adeleke, born to Nigerian parents, will be competing in the colours of Ireland and will be buoyed by the qualification of the Irish team for the women’s 4x400m final earlier in the day.

Adeleke holds a personal best of 49.07 but will be seeking to become the first Irish woman to break 49 seconds in the event and win the Olympic gold in the women’s 400m.

The third ‘Nigerian’ competing for honours is Yemisi Ogunleye, the 2024 World indoor silver medalist.

Born born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Yemisi will be one of two Germans in Friday evening’s Shot Put final.