Tag: Olympics

  • USA beat France 98-87 for men’s basketball Olympic gold

    The United States won their fifth straight Olympic men’s basketball crown on Saturday, holding off a battling France 98-87 to take their tally of Olympic golds to 17.

    In a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics final three years ago, LeBron James and the US team stacked with NBA stars once again proved too much for France’s sensational NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and his teammates.

    France sliced a 14-point deficit to three with 3min 04sec to play, but Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry drilled a three-pointer and Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant nailed two free throws as the United States relentlessly powered to the finish.


    Curry finished with eight three-pointers and led the US scoring with 24 points.

    Durant and Devin Booker added 15 apiece and James scored 14 with six rebounds, 10 assists a steal and a block.

    For Durant it was a record fourth Olympic gold. James earned his third and Curry, a four-time NBA champion, claimed his first in his first Olympic appearance.

    Wembanyama had his best offensive game of the Olympics, scoring 26 points. Guerschon Yabusele added 20, but Isaia Cordinier — whose offensive contributions were key to France’s bounce-back after a narrow victory over Japan and a humbling loss to Germany in group play — was held scoreless.

    France connected on just nine of 30 three-point attempts and the United States held a 31-9 advantage in fast-break points.

    Both teams were locked in defensively in a tense first half that featured 10 lead changes.

    Wembanyama soared for a dunk that gave France an 11-10 lead and sent the Bercy Arena crowd into a frenzy.

    The Americans were soon back in front when Booker made a layup off a behind-the-back pass from James and a steal from James set Jayson Tatum loose for a dunk.

    Down by five after one quarter, France took a 25-24 lead on a Bilal Coubilaly dunk, but the US continued to capitalize in transition off of France’s misses.

    James drove through traffic for a layup, drawing a foul and flexing at the US bench before making the free-throw to put the United States up 37-31, and they led 49-41 at halftime.

    – Dream final –

    The dream final drew a raft of luminaries. French President Emmanuel Macron was in the house and so were a bevy of former NBA stars including Scottie Pippen, Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony and France’s Tony Parker.

    Sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson was courtside, a day after she anchored the US 4x100m relay to gold.

    James signalled his intentions early. First out for pre-game warm-ups, he then took the court for the official introductions in golden shoes and opened the scoring with a dunk.

    Curry, the 36-point hero of the United States’ come-from-behind victory over Serbia in the semi-finals, got off to a slow start but heated up in the second half.

    He drilled a step-back three-pointer over Cordinier and made another to give the US their biggest lead of the game, 61-47, early in the third quarter.

    France continued to press. Nando De Colo found Evan Fournier for a three-pointer and De Colo came up with a steal and raced for a layup that pulled France within six. It stood at 72-66 heading into the fourth quarter.

    But no matter what France threw at them, the United States found the answer and finished their evening celebrating together at center court draped in US flags.


    Earlier Saturday, Serbia won bronze with a dominant 93-83 victory over World Cup champions Germany.

    Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic posted a triple double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Serbia, who bounced back less than 40 hours after a heartbreaking 95-91 loss to the United States in the semi-finals.

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  • U.S. beat Brazil to win first Olympic gold in female football since 2012

    The U.S. defeated Brazil in the women’s football final to win their first Olympic gold medal since 2012.

    Unlike what the Americans are used to, dominating their opponents from the start of games, it was not the case against the Brazilians as they were kept at bay in the first half at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

    Like they always manage to score in tough matches, Mallory Swanson gave the U.S. the lead three minutes shy of the hour mark after midfielder Korbin Albert slotted a long ball through two Brazilian defenders to find the Chicago Red Stars forward.

    In the 61st minute, Brazil icon Marta was introduced for her final game as a professional footballer, and her impact was immediately felt as she drew multiple fouls on her in Brazil’s search for an equaliser.

    In the fourth minute of the double-digit stoppage time, goalkeeper Naeher made a fingertip effort to deny Andriana from scoring a late goal for Brazil to help the U.S. secure a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal.

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  • Spain beat France 5-3 to win Olympics men’s football gold

    Spain beat France 5-3 to win Olympics men’s football gold

    Spain, on Friday, claimed the gold medal in men’s football at the Olympics with a thrilling 5-3 victory over host nation France.

    In a thrilling final, Spain showcased their dominance and secured victory, leaving the home crowd disappointed but in awe of a spectacular match.

    The game ended 3-3 at full time after France equalised with a stoppage-time penalty from Mateta.

    However, two extra-time goals from Spain secured their victory, clinching the gold medal.

    Details later…

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  • Paris Olympics: Nigerian sprinter, Samuel Ogazi, qualifies for men’s 400m final

    Paris Olympics: Nigerian sprinter, Samuel Ogazi, qualifies for men’s 400m final

    Nigeria sprint sensation, Samuel Ogazi, will compete at the final of the men’s 400m at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France.

    Ogazi, 19, running in the third semi-final, clinched third place with an impressive time of 44.41 seconds, earning him a spot in the final and setting a new personal best.

    The semi-final race was dominated by Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, who won with a time of 44.07 seconds, while Michael Norman of the USA secured second place with a time of 44.26 seconds.

    The University of Alabama undergraduate already the 200m and 400m titles at the 2023 African U18 and U20 Championships in Athletics in Ndola, Zambia to his name

    He also bagged gold in both the 200m and 400m at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, and set a new games record with his Nigerian team in the mixed 4x100m relay.

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  • D’Tigress to face US in Olympics quarterfinal

    D’Tigress to face US in Olympics quarterfinal

    Nigeria’s D’Tigress have been drawn against the United States in the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    The Nigerian ladies made history by securing Nigeria’s first-ever berth in the last eight of the Olympic basketball tournament.

    This followed their impressive 79-70 victory over Canada in their final group game on Sunday.

    The team accumulated five classification points and initially topped Group B.

    However, their standing shifted when Australia triumphed over France 79-72 in the other group match, pushing Nigeria down to third place in the group rankings.

    The team is now set to face the defending champions, USA on August 7 at 9:30 pm.

    The encounter is the second Olympic face-off between the two teams.

    At the Tokyo Games, D’Tigress suffered a narrow nine-point defeat to the Americans in their opening group game. They were also beaten in the 2024 Olympics qualifiers.

    Elsewhere in other quarter-finals clashes, Serbia will clash with Australia, Spain will go up against Belgium, and France will face Germany.

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  • 2024 Paris Olympics: Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili denied 100m spot

    2024 Paris Olympics: Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili denied 100m spot

    Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, has revealed that she will not take part in the 100m race at the ongoing Olympics in Paris.


    Ofili, in a series of tweets on Tuesday night, explained that this was due to administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, and the Nigerian Olympic Committee, NOC.

    She demanded accountability from those responsible and questioned the trustworthiness of both organisations.


    Ofili also expressed hopes that she would be entered for the 200m event.

    Her post read, “It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 metres at this Olympic Games.

    “I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity. For what?”


    Ofili also revealed that the officials not entering her for the event was a repeat of what happened at the previous Olympics, Tokyo 2020.

    She added, “Please remember, in the last Olympic Games, I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested, which made 14 Nigerian athletes that qualified to not compete. Now this……”

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  • Nigerian boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore fails drug test, out of Olympics

    Nigerian boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore fails drug test, out of Olympics

    Nigerian boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics women’s boxing tournament after testing positive for a banned substance.

    The International Testing Agency (ITA) announced on Saturday that Ogunsemilore, 22, tested positive for the diuretic furosemide, a substance used to mask the presence of other drugs.

    The ITA has imposed a provisional suspension on Ogunsemilore, barring her from participating in the Olympics.

    Cynthia Ogunsemilore was scheduled to compete in the round of 16 in the women’s 60-kilogram class on Monday.

    She was ranked fourth in her category.

    Ogunsemilore won the African Games title in her weight class last year and took bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

    It is the second positive doping test announced at the Paris Olympics.

    Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen tested positive for two anabolic steroids, the ITA said Friday.

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  • Germany To Bid For 2040 Summer Olympics

    Germany To Bid For 2040 Summer Olympics

    Mandatory Credit: Photo by FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (10592116x) The Olympic Rings monument in front of the Japan Olympic Committee headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, 24 March 2020. Later in the day, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to hold phone talks with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach of Germany regarding the possible postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to the coronavirus COVID19 pandemic. Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Japan – 24 Mar 2020

    The German government said Wednesday it wanted the country to host the 2040 Summer Olympics, picking a date that avoids a centennial reference to the edition held in Nazi Germany.

    Berlin and several other German states had previously mulled a bid for the 2036 Games, 100 years after the capital hosted the 1936 edition, which became known as the Nazi Games.

    Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government is eyeing another date.

    “The federal government favours the year 2040 for the Games in Germany – 50 years after German reunification (in 1990),” said the government, which has signed a memorandum of understanding with the German Olympic Sports Federation and interested regions and cities.

    The anniversary year was a chance to show “what values our liberal democracy stands for”, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in the statement.

    Germany, which recently staged the men’s European football championships, was a “great host for international sporting events”, Faeser said.

    Germany’s bid would “use existing sports facilities in various cities – without building new stadiums for a lot of money”, Faeser added.

    Among the memo’s signatories were Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich, as well as the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.

    The government said it would back the bid with almost seven million euros ($7.6 million) of funding between 2024 and 2027.

    Germany’s previous experience with hosting the Summer Olympics ended badly.

    Germany last hosted the event in Munich in 1972, which was overshadowed by a hostage crisis and a subsequent massacre of Israeli athletes.

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  • D’Tigress lose to Germany in pre-Olympics warm-up game

    D’Tigress lose to Germany in pre-Olympics warm-up game

    D’Tigress of Nigeria were defeated 77-63 by Germany in a preparatory game ahead of the forthcoming Paris Olympics.

    Nigeria failed to match up against the Germans, who showed their superior class in the game played on Friday in Berlin, Germany.

    Rena Wakama, D’Tigress head coach, named a starting line-up that comprises skipper Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Ezinne Kalu, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, and Murjanatu Musa.

    D’Tigress were impressive in the first quarter, but their brilliance waned by the second quarter, and Germany led 40-31 at halftime.

    The Germans reinforced their superiority in the following quarters and finished the game with a 14-point victory.

    Nigeria will play another test match against Serbia in Belgrade on July 21, then wrap up the preparatory stage against Japan on July 24 in Lille, France.

    D’Tigress are drawn into tough Group B against Australia, Canada, and France.

    The appearance in Paris will be the third time D’Tigress will be qualifying for the Olympic Games.

    The ladies qualified for Athens 2004 and featured at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

    D’Tigress are yet to register a win in the competition. In 2004, they lost all five games and conceded over 400 points.

    In Tokyo, they were defeated 87-62 by France in their first game and also lost 81-72 to the US in their second game before a 102-83 loss to Japan in the last fixture.


    D’Tigers failed to qualify for the Paris Games after falling short at the pre-qualifiers for the Olympics

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  • FULL LIST: Super Falcons squad for Paris Olympics

    FULL LIST: Super Falcons squad for Paris Olympics

    Randy Waldrum, Super Falcons Head Coach, has picked captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, and goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, in his final team list for the Women’s Olympic football tournament in France.

    This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen by Mr Ademola Olajire, Head, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Communications Department, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The coach also listed defenders: Osinachi Ohale, Oluwatosin Demehin and Michelle Alozie in the squad.

    Others on the list include midfielders: Deborah Abiodun, Halimatu Ayinde, Christy Ucheibe and Toni Payne.

    Asisat Oshoala, Esther Okoronkwo, Chinwendu Ihezuo and Uchenna Kanu – all forwards – also made the final list.

    According to Olajire, some squad members currently on holidays in Nigeria will join the home-based players and team officials aboard an Air France flight from Abuja to Sevilla, Spain on Thursday night.

    He added that the rest of the playing body and technical team would also arrive in Sevilla on Friday, for a two-week training camp.

    ”The team is scheduled to depart Sevilla for France on Thursday, July 18.

    ”The nine-time African champions, Nigeria, who are making their first appearance at the Women’s Olympic football tournament for the first time since 2008 in China, will tackle Brazil, Spain and Japan, in that order, at this year’s tournament.

    ”To qualify for the 12-team tournament, the Falcons edged South Africa’s Banyana Banyana 1-0, with a strike from the penalty spot in Abuja by Ajibade, separating Africa’s top two teams, over two legs in tge month of April.

    ”Their first game, against Brazil, comes up at the Stade Bordeaux on July 25, before confrontations with Spain on July 28 and Japan, on July 31,” he stated.

    According to him, the matches against Spain and Japan will hold at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, where the Super Eagles famously defeated tournament favourites Spain, 3-2 in a memorable game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.

    Other players on the list include Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia) and Alternate players, Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Ifeoma Onumonu (Utah Royals, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); and Morufa Ademola (Rivers Angels).

    (NAN)

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