For the Nigerian sports faithful, Year 2022 didn’t exactly meet their expectations following some poor outings by the country’s athletes. EBENEZER BAJELA and ABIODUN ADEWALE take a look at some of the athletes who put up eye-catching performances this year
Tobi Amusan
Famous for her world record in the Women’s 100mH at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, Tobi Amusan did not rest. Rather, what would be her biggest career achievement propelled her for a journey at the top, and the Ogun-born athlete didn’t disappoint.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Amusan followed up her world record with a Commonwealth record, storming to a before wrapping up the season by defending her Diamond League title.
To cap an incredible year, Amusan has been named Africa’s Best Female Athlete for the Year 2022 by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) ahead of Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, after she missed out of the Women’s World Athlete of the Year Awards-coming third behind American Sydney McLaughlin and Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce respectively.
Ese Brume
It’s been a long way coming for Nigeria’s long jumper, Ese Brume, who has laboured tirelessly for stardom in recent years.
Coming into the year 2022 as Nigeria’s only medalist in track and field at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Brume began the year with a silver medal in the women’s long jump at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade and added another silver at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
She eventually clinched a gold medal with a sensational 6.99m leap in the women’s long jump at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and also set a record and she was tagged Nigeria’s most consistent athlete, as she hasn’t failed to win a medal in recent years.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo
Between 2019 and 2022, Nigeria’s powerlifter, Folashade Oluwafemiayo has been consistent in winning gold for Nigeria at every competition she attends.
In 2022, the reigning Paralympic and three-time World champion added to her haul when she won the women’s Para powerlifting heavyweight (over 61 kg) title with a new World and Commonwealth Games record. The 37-year-old lifted 155kg in her third attempt to amass 123.4 points for the new records.
Goodness Chiemere Nwachukwu
24-year-old Goodness Chiemerie Nwachukwu was one of the stars for Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where her flying start in the women’s discus F42-44/61-64 put her on top of the podium.
In her first two throws, the 23-year-old broke her own F42 world record twice, with a best of 36.56m to win gold. It was an outstanding performance witnessed by a capacity crowd at the Alexander Stadium.
She won the gold medal in the Women’s Discus F42, setting a new world record for the discipline of 36.56m. She also broke her own world record of 32.95m, previously set at the 2021 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis.
Odunayo Adekuruoye
If not for anything, Odunayo Adekuoroye merits a place among Nigeria’s top performers in 2022 for her mentality.
The Ondo-born wrestler overcame her struggles in 2022 and won a Gold medal in the Women’s 57kg Freestyle wrestling event at the Commonwealth Games, beating India’s Anshu Malik 7-3 to successfully defend her crown. It was Adekuoroye’s 3rd consecutive Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games having won in Glasgow 2014, Goldcoast 2018.
Immediately after the Commonwealth, she was off to Turkey, where she was ranked number one at the Islamic Solidarity Games.
Before then, she claimed her seventh straight gold medal at the African wrestling championship in El Jadida, Morocco.
Asisat Oshoala
Asisat Oshoala usually runs a stellar year and 2022 wasn’t different despite being injured for some part of the year.
In fact, injury prevented her from completing the 2022 WAFCON with the Super Falcons in Morocco, but Oshoala that would not erase her works as became the first woman to win the Confederation of African Football (CAF) player of the year for a fifth time.
She also made the 20-woman shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
The 27-year-old Nigerian won the golden boot in the Spanish Primera Division, despite missing three months of the season due to recurring injuries.
She scored 20 goals in 19 league appearances for Barcelona Femeni and shared the award with Geyse Ferreira of Madrid CFF, who netted 20 goals in 27 appearances.
Victor Osimhen
It was a remarkable 2022 for Victor Osimhen, who despite being blighted by injuries and other health-related issues, continues to shine for Napoli.
Apart from seeing Nigeria miss out on the just concluded World Cup in Qatar, the year has been one of Osimhen’s best.
The 23-year-old following a stellar performance in the 2021/22 Italian Serie A season won the award for best-emerging player at the Globe Soccer Awards and is currently the top scorer in the first part of Serie A.
Osimhen has nine goals in 11 Serie A appearances so far this term and his contribution is one of the reasons Luciano Spellatti’s side are top of the league table and on course to winning the league title for the first time since Napoli last won the title in 1990.
Alex Iwobi
Everton have Alex Iwobi to thank after surviving the drop to remain in the English Premier League last June.
The Nigerian was at his very best towards the end of the season and delivered impressive performances to become the fans’ favourites at Goodison Park.
The former Arsenal player continues his fine form in the 2022/23 season despite being played in different positions by manager Frank Lampard.
Iwobi delivered his best performance against Crystal Palace as Everton return to winning ways in the league with a 3-0 win.
The Nigerian midfielder was involved in all of the Toffees’ three goals but had two assists and was deservedly named the Man of the Match award, finishing the game with two assists, after making three key passes while he had a 86 per cent pass accuracy with 32 of his 37 finding their targets.
Flamingos
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team finished third-place finish at the 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup in India beating European champion, Germany on penalties to claim the bronze medals
The Flamingos stunned tournament’s favourites US to reach the semi-finals of the cadet competition for the first time, their best-ever outing at the cadet level, before losing to Colombia to book a place with Germany in the third-place match.
