Olopade Hails Flamingos, Nwankwo, Bright For Historic Golden Weekend

Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has hailed Nigeria’s historic achievements at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, describing the weekend as a landmark moment for the country’s sports.

Nigeria’s Flamingos made history by becoming the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, following their victory over Japan in Saturday’s final in Morocco.

The celebrations continued on Sunday in Senegal, where Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo and Gift Bright won gold medals in the women’s and men’s 100m events respectively at the Youth Olympic Games.

Bright became the first Nigerian to win the men’s 100m title at the competition, while Nwankwo became the third Nigerian to claim gold in the women’s event.

Reacting to the achievements, Olopade said the performances demonstrated Nigeria’s sporting potential and the growing impact of investment in youth development.

“Today, our young athletes have reminded the world of the greatness of Nigeria. When the right structures are put in place and talent is given the support it deserves, Nigerians can excel at the highest level.

“To have the Flamingos win the World Cup and our athletes secure two Youth Olympic gold medals within the same weekend is truly remarkable,” he said.

The NSC boss said he and the Commission’s Chairman, Shehu Dikko, were delighted with the results, describing them as evidence that the Federal Government’s sports reforms under President Bola Tinubu were beginning to yield tangible results.

“Mallam Shehu Dikko and I are deeply delighted by these achievements. With the full support of Mr President, we have been deliberate about repositioning Nigerian sports, strengthening our development pathways and creating opportunities for young athletes.

“These results show that the work is beginning to yield the desired dividends,” Olopade added.

He, however, warned against complacency, insisting that the achievements should encourage the Commission to intensify its efforts towards building a sustainable sports development system.

“Our ambition goes beyond celebrating medals and trophies. We are building a system that will consistently discover, nurture and prepare young Nigerians to compete and win at the highest level.

“These victories will inspire us to do more because, ultimately, the goal is to build lasting legacies for Nigerian sports,” he said.

Olopade reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to sustained investment in youth sports, grassroots development and the creation of more domestic and international opportunities for emerging athletes.

The Flamingos’ World Cup triumph and the double sprint gold at the Youth Olympic Games have provided Nigeria with an outstanding weekend on the international sporting stage, highlighting the country’s growing prospects in youth sports.