Nigerians in the Olympics Tokyo Games 2021.
The Olympics game is ongoing with nations whom we have known to always take the lead taking it, as usual, the vigorous training of China athletes, diverse multicultural USA, the tenacity Samurai spirit of Japan, not leaving behind brilliant Great Britain. They came and are making sure they are clinching every gold day by day.
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On the other side of the sun, lies the moon, countries at the rung of the ladder, with many reasons for having them there. Their lies my country: Nigeria. Poorly funded, not well trained, selections were illegal, corrupted, and goes on the ground who-you-know in comparison with competence, skills, talents, and many more which other gold-snatching countries look for before selecting their athletes.
Nigeria first participated in the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952 with just 9 athletes, they didn't come back home with any medal. Tokyo 1964 was the first time we came back home with a bronze, our first ever. Over the years we've had a total of 25 medals, 3 Gold, 10 Bronze, and 12 Silver compared to countries with a total of 608 medals and still counting in the Tokyo games. That's China.
There is a clear difference here and it's not in how big the country is, it's in the investment the government put into its athletes to make sure they attain the world's best by record and standard. A feat that Nigeria is not ready to take.
The embarrassment trailing Nigeria are many, from being given just one jersey kit, which was posted by a shot put Olympian to our athlete being stranded over there. This shows a lack of coordination, funds, and planning on the side of the Nigerian Olympics committee.
The most soothing of all these: our athletes are still pushing ahead, claiming the little bronze and silver they could lay their hands on, keeping the country's name on the Olympics map, sending a wave of message around the world that we are still here. Hope is intact.
It will also interest you to know that the popular Blessing Okagbare tested positive to drugs. A Nigerian was disqualified for a false start too. It's a mixed feeling of joy today, sad tomorrow for a country with less prepared officials. A total number of 10 of our athletes have been sent home because of administrative incompetence. In front of the whole world.
[A screenshot of the Olympics table]
I don't pray for any worse than these happening, all that is needed now is the trophy, medals, applaud, a report in the media of us winning, it will raise the hope of us too at home that yes, we are still here and pushing. The athletes are carrying our burden along with them, on the pitch, in the long meter dash, inside the ring. A win in Tokyo is a win for us all.
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The above is an entry into @hive-naija contest on THEME: Nigerians in the Olympics Tokyo Games 2021.
The ongoing Olympics tournament in Tokyo has been very entertaining and worth watching. Team Nigeria has been so embarrassing from the arrangement and preparation was very poor.the whole team was complaining because what was meant to them was not given to them.when u look at the medel table we are no were to be found.i encourage all the participants and the officals to up their game and forget about was done to them and show the spirit of sportsmanship and win trophy for our country.i wish them best of luck.
The Nigerian Olympic team kind of fell short in their trip to Japan as many expected a much better results. I guess they were Ill lucked has they got disqualified in certain categories in which a medal was expected. A silver and gold medal is something to find consolation in considering it's better than nothing. Hope they use this year event as a lesson and better prepare hthemselves ofor the coming OOlympics in 2022
I'm praying the Nigerian Olympics team wake up to take there place in the international stage
I hope too. They have great talent. Considering the number of the athletes chosing to represent other countries. The sports authority also needs to do much in their part to prepare this athletes enough.