TheCable

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) says 358 athletes will represent in 25 sports at the 13th African Games in Ghana.

According to NAN, Tony Nezianya, NOC spokesperson, revealed the number of athletes in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

The 13th African Games will be held from March 8 to 23 in Ghana. The competition will be hosted across three cities — Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.

“Nigeria is competing in 25 sports at the event. Nigerian athletes were accredited at the Delegation Registration Meeting conducted on March 4, ” the statement reads.

Athletics has the highest number of athletes representing Nigeria, with 50 individuals, followed by football with 40 people. Hockey and Volleyball have 32 and 24 athletes, respectively.

Arm wrestling has 15 athletes, while Taekwondo, wrestling and karate each have 14 representatives.

Weightlifting and badminton have 12-member teams, while boxing has 11 pugilists, judo 10, and scrabble has eight members.

Nigeria finished second on the medal table at the last edition of the African Games in 2019. Team Nigeria won 46 gold medals, 33 silver laurels and 48 bronze medals at the Games held in Rabat, Morocco.

The number of athletes per event:

• Arm Wrestling – 15 athletes
• Athletics – 50
• Badminton – 12
• Basketball 3 x 3 – 4 female
• Beach Volleyball – 4
• Boxing – 11
• Chess – 4
• Cricket – 15
• Cycling – 12
• Hockey – 32
• Football – 40
• Handball – 14
• Judo – 10
• Karate – 14
• Mixed Martial Arts – 4
• Rugby – 16
• Scrabble – 8
• Swimming – 4
• Table Tennis – 10
• Taekwondo – 14
• Tennis – 8
• Triathlon – 4
• Volleyball – 24
• Weightlifting – 12
• Wrestling – 14