Nigerian Table Tennis players record no wins in Paris 2024 for the first time since 1988 at the Olympics.
Nigeria's dreams of table tennis glory at the Paris 2024 Olympics have been dashed, as the country's last remaining hope, Fatimo Bello, was eliminated in the women's singles round of 64.
Bello, making her Olympic debut, struggled to keep pace with the swiftness and precision of France's Jia Nan Yuan, suffering a 4-0 defeat (1-11, 3-11, 3-11, 5-11).
12:20 - 29.07.2024
D'Tigress beat Australia 75-62, Bag Nigeria's first Olympic win since 2000
In the biggest basketball upset so far of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nigeria's D'Tigress stun Australia 75-62 in the opener for their first win since 2000.
PAY ATTENTION: Join the BETTING PROF Telegram channel now
Nigeria’s Paris 2024 dream dashed
The Nigerian was unable to find her rhythm, managing only a single point in the opening set and failing to reach double figures in any of the four sets. Yuan's dominance proved too much for the debutant.
This is the first time since the introduction of table tennis at the 1988 Olympics that no Nigerian player has registered at least one win at the Games.
The early exit of Fatimo Bello comes on the heels of another devastating blow for Nigeria's table tennis ambitions.
Aruna Quadri, one of the country's biggest medal hopes, suffered a heartbreaking upset in the men's singles event.
Quadri, competing in his fourth consecutive Olympics, appeared to be in control of his match against Romania's Eduard Ionescu, racing to a comfortable 3-0 lead.
However, the 20-year-old Romanian staged an incredible fightback, winning the next three sets to level the match at 3-3.
In the decider, it was Ionescu who prevailed 13-11, crushing Quadri's dreams and leaving Nigerian fans in despair.
Offiong Edem also saw her Olympic journey come to an abrupt end, losing 4-0 to Brazil's Bruna Takahashi in the women's singles round of 64.
The premature exits of Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo, and now Fatimo Bello and Offiong Edem have dealt a massive blow to Nigeria's hopes of securing table tennis medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
As the curtain falls on Nigeria's table tennis campaign, the country will be left to regroup and look ahead to future opportunities to reclaim its place as a table tennis powerhouse on the global stage.
Related content
08:08 - 29.07.2024
Table Tennis: More disappointment for Nigeria as Offiong Edem joins Aruna, Omotayo to crash out
All but one of Nigeria's participants at the 2024 Paris Olympics have all been eliminated. Fatimo Bello is the only Nigeria table tennis player remaining.
01:00 - 29.07.2024
Paris Olympics 2024: Scheduled games and time for Monday, 29 July
Olympic events span across various sports including archery, gymnastics, and swimming, with athletes competing in both individual and team categories on Monday.
07:31 - 28.07.2024
Paris 2024: Heartbreak for Nigeria as medal hopeful Aruna Quadri blows three-set lead to crash out of Olympics
Aruna Quadri was one of Nigeria's biggest medal hopes in Paris 2024 but has now exited the Olympics after letting slip a 3-0 lead in Table Tennis.
07:15 - 28.07.2024
Table Tennis: Nigeria's Olajide Omotayo knocked out of Olympics
The Two-time Olympian started on a bright note, winning the first set but surrendered the remaining sets to his opponent.