Joe
With the opening ceremony of the Paralympics Games 2024 a few days away, veteran athlete Lauritta Onye has been chosen as Nigeria’s flag-bearer for the opening ceremony.
The 40-year-old athlete will be making her third appearance at the Paralympic Games, having previously secured gold in the F40 shot put at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 edition.
Meanwhile, Folashade Olufemiayo has been appointed as the General Captain of Team Nigeria. Olufemiayo, a seasoned Paralympian, boasts an impressive track record, including a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and a silver at the London 2012 Games.
The Nigerian Paralympic team, consisting of 23 athletes, seven coaches, and five medical staff, completed their final training camp in Germany and arrived in Paris on Thursday. The 35-man contingent was received at the Games village by the President of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN), Sunday Odebode.
Head Coach Nasiru Sule expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, stating, “the team is in high spirits, and the athletes are well-motivated to do the country proud. We have been training vigorously, and the atmosphere is calm and conducive.”
Nigeria’s Paralympic athletes are expected to deliver strong performances, following their impressive haul of ten medals, including four golds, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. With Nigeria’s Olympic team failing to secure any medals in Paris, the nation now looks to its Paralympic athletes to restore its sporting pride.
