The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games kicked off on Thursday, 28th July. It is set to hold from 28th July to 8th August, 2022, in Birmingham, England. The Commonwealth Games is known to be held at 4-year intervals, having it’s last edition in 2018.
This is Nigeria’s 15th appearance at the Commonwealth Games.
The Nigerian team is presently at Birmingham, England for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and consists of 94 highly skilled athletes, including recent record-breaking World Champion, Tobi Amusan, Commonwealth gold and silver medalists, Blessing Oborududu and Aruna Quadri.
Tobi Amusan will defend her gold medal from the 2018 edition at Gold Coast, Australia and will take the lead of the Athletics team, which is the largest contingent, as they defend and compete for more medals.
Ese Brume, the Silver medalist, of the just concluded World Athletics Championship will be participating in the Games, as she aims for gold medals in the Long Jump events this year.
In wrestling, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, Blessing Oborodudu, also seeks to defend the gold medal she won at the last Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia in the Women’s -68kg category. While Odunayo Adekuoroye will defend her gold medal in the -57kg category, just as Aminat Adeniyi who also won a gold medal in the -62kg event.
The Table Tennis contingent led by Men’s singles Silver Medalist, Aruna Quadri, would be aiming to improve on the silver medals they earned in team event from Gold Coast in 2018.
The team is set to surpass the total number of medals attained at the 2018 edition, which was 24 medals consisting of 9 Gold, 9 Silver and 6 Bronze.
Africa’s U-18 Javelin gold medallist, Chinecherem Nnamdi, and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallist, Folashade Oluwafemiayo were named Nigeria’s flag bearers at the opening held on Thursday, 28th July, at the Alexander Stadium. The stadium will play host to Athletics when it commences next week.
Watch a short clip of the opening ceremony held on Thursday https://youtu.be/JZRX4-h8c3Y
This year, the team will be participating in nine events; Athletics, Judo, Table Tennis, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Boxing, Para-Table Tennis, Para-Powerlifting, and Para-Athletics.
