Nigerian wrestler, Hannah Ruben, will be spearheading final push for a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With Team Nigeria’s journey to the podium proving elusive so far, all eyes are on Hannah as she prepares to compete in the Women’s Freestyle 76 kg wrestling category.
Scheduled to take to the mat at 10:49 am, Nigerian Time, Hannah will face Mongolia’s Enkh Amaryn Davaanasan in her opening bout, aiming to secure Nigeria’s first medal at the Games.
Hannah’s participation comes after Joy Ogbone Eze, Nigeria’s weightlifter, was eliminated on Friday, marking a disheartening “Black Friday” for the nation. Eze competed in the women’s 71 kg weightlifting event but finished 7th, lifting a total of 232kg—105kg in the Snatch and 131kg in the Clean and Jerk. Despite her best efforts, she fell short of reaching the medal zone, joining the ranks of 87 other Nigerian athletes who have exited the competition without securing a medal.
Nigeria’s hopes now rest solely on Hannah Ruben, the last athlete standing in Paris.
The nation’s earlier efforts in 12 sports, including Football, Table Tennis, Basketball, Athletics, Cycling, Canoeing, Badminton, Boxing, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, and Swimming, have all ended in disappointment.
Hannah, a 13th African Games Gold medalist, carries the weight of the nation’s expectations.
As she steps onto the mat, the question remains: will Hannah Ruben be the one to bring home the elusive Paris 2024 medal for Nigeria? The answer will unfold during today’s events, beginning at 10:49 am.
