When Abiola Ogunbanwo arrives at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Wednesday for the start of the first heat of the women’s 100m freestyle, she would be going into the record books as only the 10th Nigerian to take part in swimming at the Olympic Games. But she could also become the first Nigerian woman to go under the one-minute mark and, in the process, consign Ngozi Monu’s longstanding record to the archives.
Before Ogunbanwo, the only Nigerians to have graced the pool at the Olympics were Musa Bakare (Barcelona ‘92), Ikhaghomi Joshua (Barcelona ‘92), Monu (Sydney 2000 & Beijing 2008), Gentle Offoin (Sydney 2000), Lenient Obia (Athens 2004), Eric Williams (Athens 2004), Yellow Yeiyah (Beijing 2008), Samson Opuakpo (Rio 2016), and Rachael Tonjor (Rio 2016).