With Team Nigeria gradually gathering momentum at the Olympics, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Rowing Canoe and Sailing Federation, Olubunmi Ola-Oluode, has assured Nigerians that a podium finish is the target for the federation and the Federal Ministry of Sports.
With the competition set to start from August 6–10, Ola-Oluode said in an exclusive chat with a Persecondnews correspondent on Monday in Paris that her athletes have collected all their local and foreign camp allowances to avoid distractions.
She said: “The athletes are ready to go, the spirit is high, and the motivation is there, with the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, ensuring that all local, foreign, and Olympic allowances are cleared.
“The ministry has done so well; they have ensured that nothing stands as obstacle way of ensuring a podium finish from rowers at the games.
“In ensuring we meet up with the best global standard for our team, we had a podium performance committee in charge of the psychological readiness of the athletes and also checked the scientific and nutritional aspects of the game to boost the athletes.
“The concentration of the athletes has been top-notch; we are not worried or bothered about the previous results of Team Nigeria at the games so far; we are focused on making history.
“The goal of the team is to have the anthem of Nigeria play loudly with our medals after competing. We have an Olympian, Ayomide Bello, who finished 21st in the last Olympic in Tokyo. We are hoping for the best when she steps out for 200m.
“Ayomide was scouted in 2017 during the youth games at the Dam Illorin; she was even born on a boat in Nigeria. We have brushed her technically and mentally to compete with the best in the world.”
Journey to the Olympics
Beauty Otudeo and Ayomide Bello won the women’s C2 500m event at the Canoe Sprint African Paris 2024 Qualifier in home water at the Jabi Lake, Abuja, Nigeria.
It was the first time in history that a canoe sprint continental qualifier was hosted in Africa, as previously, African athletes could only qualify through the World Championships and the All-Africa Games.
This move by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) enabled many athletes from the continent to participate where they otherwise would not have been able to, and attempt to obtain one of the eight Olympic spots up for grabs.
Despite a lack of adequate training before the competition, Nigeria won four gold medals, only behind South Africa, which topped the overall medal table with nine gold medals.
The Nigerian duo took just 2.24.45 seconds to seal top spot in the women’s C2 500m category.
There was double delight for Bello at the qualifier, who propelled her canoe to gold in the Women’s C1 200m in just 55.14 seconds. In doing so, she secured a second quota for Paris 2024.
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