Milano Cortina 2026: Nigeria debuts with sole representative, secures fourth straight winter Olympics appearance

Nigeria is set to continue its growing legacy in winter sports, marking its fourth consecutive appearance at the Winter Olympic Games with its participation in the Milano Cortina 2026 event.

The nation's journey on the world's biggest winter stage began with a historic debut at the 2018 PyeongChang Games in South Korea. That year, Nigeria captured global attention with athletes competing in Bobsleigh, led by Seun Adigun, and Skeleton, featuring Simidele Adeagbo.

For the Milano Cortina Games, scheduled from February 6 to 22, 2026, Nigeria will be represented by a single athlete: cross-country skier Samuel Ikpefan. This marks his second Olympic appearance, following his debut at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Ikpefan, who is originally from Edo State but resides in France, has been preparing intensively for the competition. He relocated his training base to Switzerland to optimize his readiness, stating that the experience from his first Olympics has left him in better form than in Beijing.

While acknowledging the tough competition, Ikpefan is focused on delivering a peak performance and proudly representing Nigeria's expanding presence in winter sports.

Unfortunately, Simidele Adeagbo, who competes in Monobob and Skeleton, narrowly missed out on qualification. Her world ranking of 26th in Bobsleigh was just outside the top 25 cutoff set by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation.

According to Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) official Mrs. Kemi Obidahunsi, Ikpefan is the sole Nigerian to qualify through the continental quota system. He is one of only eight athletes from Africa competing across all disciplines at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games.

The Nigerian delegation will be led by NOC President, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel.