Jonathan Meets Sydney Olympics Golden Quartet 13 Years After

Thirteen years after the Sydney Olympics, Nigeria’s 4×400 relay team finally got their chance to get a golden handshake from their country’s leader.

The quartet, made up of Sunday Bada, who died in December 2011 at the age of 42, Jude Monye, Clement Chukwu and Enefiok Udo-Ubong were officially presented to President Goodluck Jonathan today in Abuja, as the gold medal winners. Bada was ably represented by his wife, Sumbo. She got the presidential handshake.

In Sydney, the Nigerians had won the silver, with a record time of 2.58.68 losing the gold by two seconds  to the United States team  of Alvin Harrison, Antonio Pettigrew, Calvin Harrison and Michael Johnson.

Years after, it was found that the Americans had cheated, their victory helped by dope.

The International Olympics Committee stripped the United States of the gold medal and gave the Nigerians the gold medal, hence the presentation of the golden team in Abuja today, by the sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi.