Paris, France — The United States emerged victorious in the overall medal count at the Paris Olympics, securing an impressive total of 126 medals, including 40 golds.
The fierce battle for gold medals, often considered the ultimate prize, ended in a tie between the U.S. and China, with both nations clinching 40 golds each.
China, finishing with 91 medals overall, has solidified its position as the primary competitor to the United States in the Summer Games.
In contrast, Russia, once a formidable force in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, had a minimal presence in Paris. The country fielded only about 15 athletes and barely made a mark in the medal tally.
On the other hand, Nigeria faced a disappointing outing in Paris, despite high expectations. Following a modest success at the Tokyo Olympics, where they secured two medals, hopes were high for a stronger performance this time around, especially with a significant N9 billion budget approved by the federal government. However, the country’s 88 athletes, competing across 12 sports, failed to win a single medal, marking Nigeria’s worst Olympic performance since London 2012.
The Nigerian team’s campaign was marred by several controversies. Star athlete Favour Ofili was inexplicably left out of the women’s 100m roster despite qualifying, and familiar issues with inadequate kitting once again surfaced, with athletes receiving two separate kits from the Athletes Federation of Nigeria and the National Olympic Committee.
The disappointing results have led to renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s sports administration, as the country grapples with the fallout from its worst Olympic showing in over a decade.