I’ve won 43 medals for Nigeria – Amike

A look into his profile reveals that Amike, who is the current President of Nigeria Olympian Association after the exits of Smart Abraka was a specialist in the 400 metres hurdles, an event in which he came eight at the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, United States, and second at the African Championship […]

A look into his profile reveals that Amike, who is the current President of Nigeria Olympian Association after the exits of Smart Abraka was a specialist in the 400 metres hurdles, an event in which he came eight at the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, United States, and second at the African Championship held in Rabat, Morocco in 1984.

In this interview with our reporter at the Abuja National Stadium where the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) unveiled its programme of activities for the 2012, Amike blames poor funding for the dwindling fortune of sports in the country.

Can you recall the early days how became involved in athletics?

Well, it was in the school at Saint Finbars College in Lagos, I was playing football and running tracks and there was a lot of encouragement from the school, authorities and my parents who were happy with me and I was able to go and do it out there.

What was the year?

It was in the 70s.

In all, how many medals did you won for the Nigeria in your career?

The total number of medals I won for Nigeria in all are 43; made up of gold, silver and bronze.

Can you briefly comment on the current level of athletics in Nigeria. How will you rate current level of athletics in Nigeria compare to your days as an athlete?

Well, I don’t like talking about sports or athletic when they are talking about degradation in the society. I think what is happening to sports is what is happening to all other facets of the society.

As we are talking now the Federal Government has not released money to go the ministries, and the same thing applies to sports. We have just released our programmes for next year and this is November, but we have not started training, there is no allocation and they said the budget will not come until February and we cannot start training in February. So definitely what is happening is not just sports, it is all facets of governance in Nigeria.

But in sports, we need preparation early. So, what is happening today, I don’t just blame the athletes and officials but I blame the society for the woes in our country’s sport sector.

So, comparing what is happening today and then, I think the sports sector is dead.

During your active days as an athlete, which event will you say is the most memorable one you participated in and why?

Well, I have a lot of memorable times in my career, and I can’t say this particular event is the most memorable because practically every championship I attended, by the grace of God I performed to the best of my capability.

But I will say specifically that two moments of my life that I will say I really had happiness after the championships are the World Cup in Barcelona that I won, and the World Universities Games in Japan.

These are the two events that are memorable to me and an athlete.

In what year were these events you mentioned?

They were in 1987 and 1989. The 1987 championship was the World Universities Games and the one of 1989 was the World Cup.

So, what is the saddest moment in your life?

The saddest moment of my life which I don’t like to talk about was the 1984 Olympic Games in the United States that I was to be the top three in the world, and ran up to the final but the … hurdle sticker hit the hurdle sticker and felled, that is the saddest moment in my life as an athlete.

What is your philosophy in life?

Well, I believe is dedication, hard work and early preparation.