Olympics: Wakama becomes first African to win FIBA’s Coach of the Tournament Award

Nigeria’s female basketball team head coach, Rena Wakama, has been honored as the Coach of the Tournament in the women’s category at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The prestigious recognition was announced by the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) following the USA’s eighth consecutive medal win in the men’s category.

Wakama’s remarkable accomplishment marks a historic milestone, as she becomes the first African coach to receive this award.

At just 32 years old, she led the D’Tigress team to an unprecedented quarterfinal finish, surpassing any previous performance by an African team in the Olympic Basketball Tournament.

Despite Nigeria’s overall lack of medals in the 12 sporting events at the Paris Olympics, Wakama’s achievement brings a sense of pride and joy to the team’s performance.

Rena Wakama, the head coach of Nigeria’s Olympic women’s basketball team, made history by leading her team to a remarkable 79-70 victory against highly fancied Canada.

This win followed their impressive 75-62 triumph over Australia, showcasing the team’s resilience and determination.

The team eventually lost to the United States at the quarter final stage.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wakama was raised by her Nigerian parents, Johnson Wakama and Rosana Oba, from Okrika, Rivers State.

She played basketball for four years with the Western Carolina Catamounts and later joined the Nigeria Women’s National Basketball Team, helping them secure a third-place finish in the 2015 Women’s AfroBasket tournament in Cameroon.

Wakama’s coaching journey began at Manhattan College, where she earned her master’s degree in Business Administration.

She served as the director of women’s basketball operations and assistant coach, honing her skills in player development.

In 2023, she made history by becoming the first female head coach of the D’Tigress and led the team to an AfroBasket championship title.

Paris Olympics ends

The Paris Olympics closing ceremony took place on Sunday night at the Stade de France, featuring a star-studded lineup of artists and musicians.

The ceremony began with French singer-songwriter Zaho de Sagazan performing “Sous le ciel de Paris,” accompanied by the choir of the Handel Hendrix Academy.

The Divertimento Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zahia Ziouani, performed a new arrangement of the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” alongside the Maîtrise de Fontainebleau choir.

The ceremony also featured performances by French tenor Benjamin Bernheim, pianist and composer Alain Roche, and French band Phœnix, among others.

The ceremony included a high-flying stunt segment by Tom Cruise, as well as performances by Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Snoop Dogg as part of the handover to the next hosts, Los Angeles.

The ceremony ended with the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and the transfer of the Olympic torch to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.