By Arinze Ude & Obi Martins Okafor
During the last moments of the games, while some countries were having a nice time scooping up and celebrating gold medals, Nigeria was still trying to get a bronze medal.
The weekend was full of lost hope as 29 year old, Team Nigeria captain Yagazie Chika Chukwumerije lost to 24 year old Cuban Robelis Despaigne in the Men’s Taekwando +80kg preliminary round. Also, 36 year old Andrew Adibo Dick lost in the Men’s 84kg freestyle wrestling to Puerto Rico’s Jaime Yusept Espinal. Then The Nigerian 4x400m women’s relay team finished seventh but they were disqualified afterwards.
The Final day for events, Nigeria’s last hope for an Olympic medal, Sinivie Boltic faltered in the round of 16 clash with Romania’s Nicolai Ceban. The 32 year old went down in 6.37minutes in the Men’s 96kg wrestling competition. This failure ultimately meant that Nigeria ended the London Olympics without a medal, Nigeria’s worst showing at the Olympics ever.
The London Olympic Games finally came to an end yesterday in a colourful closing ceremony that included performances by Queen, Spice Girls, Jessie J, Nigerian duo Taio Cruz and Tinie Tempah among others. Prince Harry represented his grandmother, The Queen at the closure of the Olympiad. It was colourful event that saw Lord Sebastian Coe thank everyone who helped in making the Games a memorable one and handed the ‘baton’ to International Olympics Committee President, Jacques Rogue who closed the games. The next Olympiad will be held in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
Nigerians are disappointed with the results of the London 2012 Olympics but the next phase is to find for young talents to train and look forward to Rio 2016.
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