Nigeria first participated in the Olympic Games in 1952 and has sent athletes to compete in the quadrennial event since then, except for the boycotted 1976 Summer Olympics.

Team Nigeria has won a total of 27 medals in the Olympic Games mostly in athletics and boxing.

The country's best ever performance in the Olympic Games was at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia where the Nigerian contingents won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals making a total of six medals.

This performance earned Team Nigeria a 32nd place finish on the medal table with the country's famous victory coming in the men's U-23 football tournament where the Super Eagles beat Argentina 3-2 in the final.

The likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Emmanuel Amunike all featured prominently in the famous Dream Team. That victory was Nigeria's second gold medal at the Olympic Games, but have you ever wondered who won the first?

On August 2, 1996, Chioma Ajunwa made history by becoming the first Nigerian to win an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in the women's long jump event.

She jumped a distance of 7.12 meters (23 feet 4.5 inches) in the final round to set a new African record. She remains the only Nigerian to win an individual gold medal for the country at the Olympic Games.

Before the Atalanta Summer Olympics, Chioma Ajunwa had competed and won medals at different events: a bronze at the 1989 African Championship, another bronze at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and a gold medal at the 1991 African Games.

Now 53, Chioma Ajunwa who hails from Imo State is a senior police officer. She was conferred a national honour as a Member of the Order of Niger (MON) by former Nigeria Head of State, Sani Abacha.