Olympics: Ajunwa, Onyali Forsee Tough Test For Nigeria

Two Olympic Games veterans, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi and Chioma Ajunwa have both predicted a tough test for Team Nigeria athletes to the London 2012 Olympic Games, which is just nine days away.

Ajunwa, who won Nigeria’s first individual Olympic gold medal at the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games charged Nigerian athletes to believe in themselves, warning that the stakes are higher in the Olympics than in other international meets.

“My advice to Nigerian athletes is that they should have the belief that they can do it. The athletes need to have the confidence that they can make it at the Games because Olympics is not an easy contest,”  Ajunwa, a police officer warned.

Corroborating Ajunwa’s stand, Omagbemi, who is popularly referred to as Queen of the Track said the Olympic Games is not meant for athletes that are not ready, insisting that Nigerian athletes will have to be at their best since they would be contesting with the best across the world.

Omagbemi who is the first Nigerian athlete to make five consecutive Olympic appearances is of the view that Nigerians should have confidence in Team Nigeria, stressing that they should expect stiffer competition than they experienced on their way to qualifying for the Games proper.

“When we were going to the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, nobody gave us a chance until we got there and performed well in the 4x100m relay event. So if Team Nigeria can learn from people like us that went to the Olympics in 1992, I see them excelling in London,” she said.

—Sunday Akintoye & Bimbo Ajayi