Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

With more funding, Nigeria will rule Winter Olympics, says Adigu

By Gowon Akpodonor
22 February 2018   |   3:55 am
Team Nigeria ended its participation at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics yesterday with the bobsled trio of Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere getting a total of three minutes 29.60 seconds to finish in the 20th position. But the captain of the Nigerian team, Seun Adigun (driver of the bobsled team) is not disturbed…

Seun Adigun holds the Nigerian national flag during the national anthem at a social event in Lagos, Nigeria on February 2, 2018.<br />Bobsledders Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere will be the first ever Nigerian team at the Winter Olympics when the compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. / AFP PHOTO / Stefan HEUNIS

Team Nigeria ended its participation at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics yesterday with the bobsled trio of Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere getting a total of three minutes 29.60 seconds to finish in the 20th position.

But the captain of the Nigerian team, Seun Adigun (driver of the bobsled team) is not disturbed the country’s poor outing. She believes that with more time, more preparation and funding, Nigeria will become one of the leading countries in Winter Olympics.

She also stated that their participation in this year’s Winter Olympics would provide a platform for black women to aspire for greatness in the competition.

In their first heat on Tuesday, the duo of Adigun and Omeoga recorded a personal best time of 52.21 and ran 52.55 in the second heat. But yesterday, Adigun paired with Ngozi Onwumere (brakeman) to round up Nigeria’s campaign in Pyeongchang with a time of 52.31 in the third heat and 52.53 in the fourth heat.

In total, the Nigerians got three minutes, 29.60 seconds in their four races to place 20th position.

Germany’s duo of Jamanka/Buckwitz won the gold in three minutes, 22.45 seconds, while Meyers Taylor/Gibbs of the United States of America were second in three minutes, 22.52 seconds and Canada’s Humphries/George were third in three minutes, 22.89 seconds.

“It was every bit as special as we hoped it would be,” Adigun told BBC Sport.

“With more time and more preparation and funding, I think we’re proving that we can be as competitive as everyone else.”

‘It is going to open doors’

Former world champion, Nicola Minichiello says competing at a first Games was never about winning a medal for Nigeria, but the significant step taken by an African nation.

0 Comments