London Olympic: Team Nigeria blows N2b for nothing

As at the time of press yesterday, Nigeria had not won a single medal and there was no existing hope anywhere for Team Nigeria to redeem its image because the country’s remaining medal hopeful, Chika Chukwumerije was beaten early in the day by Cuba’s Robelis Despaigne. Therefore, while the games lasted, other countries were busy […]

As at the time of press yesterday, Nigeria had not won a single medal and there was no existing hope anywhere for Team Nigeria to redeem its image because the country’s remaining medal hopeful, Chika Chukwumerije was beaten early in the day by Cuba’s Robelis Despaigne.

Therefore, while the games lasted, other countries were busy celebrating medals and just as their national anthems were as mark of hnour, Nigerians watched in agony how their athletes got blown away on daily basis by superior opponents.

Although most Nigerians saw the hand writing on the wall, many were deceived by the performances of Team Nigeria at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo and the Africa Athletics Championship in Benin Republic.

At these two major events, Team Nigerian athletes posted encouraging results which made many to believe that they would go to London and improve on the country’s previous Olympic appearnaces.

One athlete who raised the hopes of millions of Nigerians only to dash same at the hour of need was Blessing Okagbare. The 2008 Olympics bronze medalist had beaten world champion Carmelita Jeter in the women’s 100m dash at the London Grand Prix about a week to the start of the Olympics.

At the Olympics proper, she could only manage fourth place. The two ladies she defeated went on to win gold and silver respectively.

Apart from the trio of Blessing Okagbare, Ajoke Odumosu who made it into the Women’s 400m hurdles final, and Tosin Oke who also reached the men’s triple jump final, every other track and field athlete did not cross the first hurdle.

In other events, Segun Toriola and Edith Ogoke managed to survive the first hurdles but other athletes like, Muideen Akanyi, Lukman Lawal, Samuel Akinyemi, Isah Mohammed Adam and a host of others fizzled out without a fight.

The story of the D’Tigers is well known and needs no further expatiation. The Ayo Bakare led team promised so much but failed to deliver when it mattered most. Apart from the victory over Tunisia in their opening game, the D’Tigers did not justify their rating as an emerging force. The USA team made up of super stars made a mince-meat of the Nigerian Tigers.

Before the games, the minister of sports and chairman of the National Sports Commission, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi refused to commit himself on the medals Team Nigeria would win. He insisted medals would be won but he could not state the colours.

His Director-General, Chief Patrick Ekeji followed suit as he diplomatically refused to be dragged into any discussion concerning the number of medals to be expected from Team Nigeria.

With a huge sum of N2b reportedly released to the commission to prepare 55 athletes in just eight events, it was expected that Team Nigeria would get the best preparation that would translate into medals but today the story is different.

It is therefore another case of Helsinki 1952, Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, Mexico 1968, Moscow 1980 and Seoul 1988 Olympics where Nigeria did not win a single medal.