BY Idris Shehu
The year 2023 was eventful for Nigerian sports as several athletes represented the green and white flag in various global competitions.
It was a year of fulfilment where the prince that was promised became the king of Naples and African football, and a queen extended her reign on the continental throne.
It was also a period of restitution for Nigerian-born athletes who lost their crowns in combat sports while the country’s beloved hurdler recovered from a doping scandal to rule the world yet again.
From the packed streets of Naples to the blood-stained octagon of UFC, to the tracks of the Diamond League finals in Zurich, Nigerian athletes did not just obey the clarion call; they turned it into a victory tune.
Here are 10 of those heroes who made Nigeria proud in 2021.
ANTHONY JOSHUA RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS
Joshua finally put the ghost of his title loss to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk behind him in 2023.
Usyk defeated Joshua on September 25, 2021. The Nigerian-British boxer suffered at the hands of his Ukrainian counterpart for the second time on August 21, 2022.
In April, Joshua defeated Jermaine Franklin, the US boxer, by unanimous decision to earn his first victory since 2020.
In August, the former heavyweight champion knocked out Robert Helenius in the seventh round for his second victory of the year — and a few days ago, he defeated Otto Wallin by technical knockout after five rounds.
ISRAEL ADESANYA KNOCKED OUT PEREIRA
In 2022, Alex Pereira took the UFC middleweight belt off Adesanya following a vicious fifth-round knockout. The loss was Adesanya’s third career defeat to the Brazilian.
Consequently, Adesanya had his reputation and his career on the line when he faced Pereira for the title rematch in April.
Throughout the bout, Adesanya demonstrated an improvement in his discipline which had previously cost him against Pereira. He had a laser-like focus throughout the entire blurry exchanges of kicks and jabs.
In the second round, however, he charged out of his reserved, calculating stance and flew after the Brazilians with strings of attacks.
Although Pereira initially countered Adesanya’s moves and pinned him with a flurry of punches to the corner, the Nigerian-born fighter wriggled out of the trap with a vicious left hook, followed by a more debilitating right cross-jab that sent the Brazilian to the mat.
He knocked the Brazilian out to reclaim his UFC middleweight belt. Adesanya would, however, lose the belt again to Sean Strickland, who defeated him by unanimous decision in September.
OSIMHEN’S SERIE A TRIUMPH
On May 4, Victor Osimhen was on target as Napoli played a 1-1 draw against Udinese and earned the vital point for the club to be crowned Serie A champions.
The title victory ended Napoli’s 33-year wait for a league trophy.
Osimhen also scored 25 league goals to become the league’s highest goalscorer, setting the record as the first African footballer to achieve the feat.
He also surpassed Goerge Weah’s goal record to become the highest-scoring African in the league.
The 24-year-old was also awarded the Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 Serie A season.
SUPER FALCONS’ WORLD CUP PERFORMANCE
Many Nigerians expected little from the Super Falcons at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The expectation was informed by the off-field drama that overshadowed the team’s preparation for the competition.
However, the Super Falcons produced a memorable performance at the tournament hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
A Chiamaka Nnadozie penalty save earned Nigeria a goalless draw against Canada in the first group game. A few days later, the Falcons defeated Australia 3-2 in the second leg before securing a 1-1 draw against Ireland to progress to the second round.
Randy Waldrum’s wards fought courageously against England in the round of 16 clash. They held the European champions through normal and extra time to force the match into penalty shootouts.
Nigeria eventually lost 4-2 after Desire Oparanozie and Michelle Alozie missed their respective kicks.
D’TIGRESS’ FOURTH CONSECUTIVE AFROBASKET TITLE
Just a few weeks before the 2023 Women’s Afrobasket, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) employed Rena Wakama as the replacement for Otis Hughley, the coach who had led D’Tigress to three consecutive continental titles.
The federation also overhauled the team, with the squad for the 2023 Afrobasket compiled following open tryouts in Chicago, Lagos, and Abuja.
Some top players did not make the final cut. The affected players include Adaora Elonu, the team’s captain to the 2021 Afrobasket triumph, Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu, Victoria Macaulay and Ify Ibekwe.
The decision was unpopular as some players announced their retirement from the team in protest.
The absence of the players had little consequence as the newcomers led by Amy Okonkwo steamrolled teams to get to the finals, where they also defeated Senegal to claim Nigeria’s fourth consecutive Afrobasket title.
Wakama also became the first female coach to win the competition since its inception in 1966.
ARUNA QUADRI’S CONSECUTIVE ITTF AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Quadri was in impeccable form as he defeated Egypt’s Ahmed Saleh to clinch his second consecutive title in the men’s singles of the 2023 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African championship.
The 35-year-old Nigerian thrashed his Egyptian opponent in four straight sets to defend his title in Tunis, Tunisia, in mid-September.
In 2022, Quadri produced an inspirational comeback from two sets down to beat Omar Assar, arguably his toughest rival, to win the continental title.
47-YEAR-OLD OSHONAIKE STILL WINNING
Funke Oshonaike combined with Fatimo Bello to win gold in the women’s doubles event at the 2023 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African championship.
The ladies defeated Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou and Egypt’s Marwa Alhod in the final.
TOBI AMUSAN’S THIRD CONSECUTIVE DL WIN
Amusan had a rough 2023 season. Her preparation for her title defence at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest was interrupted by charges of doping violation.
She was then provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unity (AIU) for allegedly missing three doping tests in 12 months.
Her participation in the world championship was in jeopardy until she was cleared of the charge three days before the competition.
Amusan failed to defend her world title in Budapest after she finished sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles final.
A few months later, the 27-year-old redeemed herself and claimed her third consecutive Diamond League title.
The Nigerian won her first Diamond League trophy in 2021 in 12.42 seconds and defended the title last year after dipping 12.29 seconds in Zurich.
OSIMHEN AND OSHOALA SHINE
In September, France Football Magazine announced that Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala had been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or.
A month later, Osimhen finished eighth on the list and became the first Nigerian to be named in the top ten of the Ballon d’Or.
He was also the highest-ranking African, finishing ahead of Egypt’s Mohammed Salah, who placed 11th.
Oshoala finished 20th on the women’s list and would go on to win her record-extending fifth CAF women’s footballer of the year award.
OSIMHEN IS AFRICAN KING
On December 11, Osimhen was crowned the 2023 CAF men’s ‘Player of the Year.’
The Super Eagles striker garnered the highest number of votes to defeat Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi of Morroco to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.
He also became the first Nigerian male to win the CAF award in 24 years.
Osimhen joined the illustrious list of footballers who have been named the best players on the continent. The list includes Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba and Nwankwo Kanu, who won the prize twice.
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