By Joe Apu
Nigeria’s D’Tigress head to her third Olympic Games with the aim of breaking the jinx to go beyond the Group Stage but will fight have to go beyond Australia come July 29, 2024 when they begin their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign.
The wards of Coach Rena Wakama will attempt to break Australia that have remained a strong force against the African champions. The Opals from Down Under were the better side against Nigeria at the opening game between both sides at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games winning 85-73. Australia were again winners over Nigeria at the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup taking a 86-68 win.
The six time African champions will have to work harder this time around to make the desired impact this time around. Nigeria’s next game will be against France on August 1. The French defeated Nigeria 87-62 at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games in the preliminary round.
The last group game for Nigeria will be against Canada on August 4th. All games will be at the Lille, Pierre-Mauroy Stadium.
It would be recalled that Nigeria lost all her group games at the Athens 2004 and Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games finishing 11th on both occasions. Nigeria however recorded her Olympic Games win against South Korea in a 68-64 win.
Nigeria is the only African nations at the Paris 2024 Games in the basketball event.