Nigeria: The Sports Moments That Defined the Decade
In the 2010s, the Nigerian sports scene game us some of the most incredible moments in history as several star athletes rose to fame. For this piece, we’ll explore the top five most memorable moments that defined Nigeria’s sports decade. Please note that the list is in no particular order.
1.D’tigers Wins Afrobasket Championship
Nigeria is a sports-crazed country, with one of the
best basketball teams in Africa. The team, formally known as the D’Tigers, won
their first Afrobasket championship in 2015, qualifying for the Rio de Janeiro
Olympics in 2016.
D’Tigers won the championship after beating their nemesis, Angola 74-65 basket on 30th August. The victory was one of a kind as Nigeria had always lost to Angola in the past, so it came as a surprise to many and opened a new chapter for the nation’s basketball team.
2.Winning The 2013 AFCON Title
After a 19-year AFCON trophy drought, Nigeria’s
national men’s team won the title in 2013 when their patience was almost
running out. Stephen
Keshi’s men conquered the content in 2013, winning the
title after edging out Burkina Faso in the final.
From surprise wins over tournament favorites like Code d’Ïvore to showing off their incredible talents, the Nigerians put up a thrilling show. Nigeria’s victory not only benefited Betway punters, but it also saw them become the CAF representative during the FIFA Confederations Cup held in 2013 in Brazil.
3.D’tigress Win 2019 Afrobasket
The 2010s was not only a good decade for Betway live sports
betting fans, but also for basketball in Nigeria. In just
one decade, the national men and women’s teams conquered Africa and won the
Afrobasket title.
D’Tigres won their second consecutive Afrobasket last year, after delivering the most spectacular sports moments to fans. The team won all their games in the group stages, the semifinals, and the finals which allowed them to take the title.
4.FIFA U-17 World Cup In 2015
The Golden Eaglets managed to successfully defend
the title they took in UAE during the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup with another
heroic display in Chile. Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Nwakali emerged as the
stars of the tournament, and they have risen to unimaginable heights since their
discovery during the tournament.
Victor stole the show with his tenth record-breaking goal in the tournament, while Funsho Bamgboye added another one moments later to secure Nigeria’s victory in the final. Earlier in the game, Samuel Diarra has saved a penalty kick from Osinachi Ebere as the Malians continued playing their part in the thrilling finale.
5.Track Queen Enters The Guinness World Book Of Records
In 2015, one of the top track queens in the country,
Blessing Okagbare, signed her name in the Guinness Book of Records for
appearing in the Diamond League for the most time. The multi-talented athletes
had appeared in the Diamond League for 38 times by 2015, beating world-renowned
athletes like Usain Bolt. Her specialties include the 100 and 200-meter sprints
and long jumps.
