The story of three Nigerian women who became the first African bobsled team to qualify the Winter Olympic games is very inspiring.
The team, comprising of Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere completed five races on their road to qualifying for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic games.
They were joined by Simi Adeagbo who qualified to fly Nigeria’s flag in the game of Skeleton after she got inspired by Seun, Akuoma and Ngozi’s story.
With the help of Visa, these ladies have set a record and are now gunning for something bigger – to win a medal at the winter Olympics.
Nigeria women bobsled team say they are going for gold at the Olympics. Photo: The Guardian
And according to the girls, should an opportunity for gold presents itself, they will be very ready to take it.
The dream to compete at the winter Olympics started when the leader of the girls, Seun Adigun set up a crowdfunding account for the team on gofundme in 2016. They needed a bobsled to compete with at the qualifying races and what better way to get help than to call for it.
Bobsleds are quite expensive and the qualification stages would also cost them a lot but they were able to raise $75,000 in 12 months, contributed by people in Nigeria and all over the world.
And then, Visa came calling and offered the girls the perfect opportunity to be in South Korea.
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Nigeria women bobsled team. Photo: The Guardian
Inspired by their determination, Visa helped pave the way to PyeongChang for these women and according to one of them, Ngozi Onwumere, the team’s surprise call to join the Visa family and their interview on Ellen Degeneres are the two biggest moments of her life.
In this exclusive interview with NAIJ.com, the team expressed their optimism at having a good outing in PyeongChang.
What inspired the decision to swap Athletics for Bobsledding?
(Seun speaking) One of the primary reasons why I got into Bobsledding was not necessarily to leave the track and field or athletics but because I was off for three years and it was through the supports of some of my friends who were doing bobsled that made me spark the interest. After that, I reached out to these lovely ladies (smiles as she looks at Akuoma, Ngozi and Simi).
(Simi speaking) I think for all of us, we are all very talented in track and field and we had a good track record. We did some amazing things on the track and for us, this particular venture bobsled and skeleton is about breaking barriers in sports and now this is an opportunity. I can say what we have done is historic and we are glad that we are part of that.
How did you ladies meet and how was this history making team formed?
(Akuoma speaking) I moved to Houston in July 2016 and I had an ‘older brother’ who knew Seun and he told me she is good person to know and so I and her met up. She spoke about this project she has been working on but I didn’t want to dig too deep not to be invasive. So around September she gave me a call that she wants to start a bobsled federation in Nigeria.
(Ngozi speaking) We had an annual dinner we always attend just to catch up and see what we are doing as myself and Seun both ran for Nigeria. At that particular dinner, Seun told me about bobsled and asked me if I was interested. I thought about it for a little while and I said yes, who wouldn’t be interested. It is different for Nigeria, something we have never seen before and it could turn out to be really great and look at us now.
(Simi speaking) After they got together, I heard about them, I read an article and I was super inspired. I thought what they were doing was so amazing and because I had also heard about other track athletes going into bobsled, I immediately reached out if I could be part of it and then I found out that they are good and have a team already. I discovered skeleton and I went for it. We all together have done great things.
What was the feeling like after your first shot at Bobsledding?
(Akuoma speaking) For me it was nerve racking, because that was the first time I was on ice doing bobsled. We didn’t practice in snow and the first time we were on a bobsled track was the first time we actually did bobsled.
So I think it was nerve racking because you have to realize that you have to find a way to do this sport no matter what. Seun did a good job to explain what bobsledding was and how the feeling was.
Choosing to represent Nigeria ahead of USA, did you at any point see it as a risk going by the rate at which athletes in Nigeria switch nationalities due to poor treatments they get back home?
(Seun speaking) I think this is a very good opportunity to encourage people to come back to Nigeria. When they see that there are people out there who not only feel strongly about their patriotism to Nigeria but also feel dedicated to uplift that positive image of the country. It will help draw people to come back, because there are Nigerians all over the world, competing for other countries in whatever sport. If we are to take a little bit of here and there of all those Nigerians who are dominating in other sports for other countries, Nigeria will be very highly placed in athletics and competitive world.
What is the driving force for the team going into the Olympics?
(Simi speaking) We want to continue to represent Nigeria to the best of our abilities. I think what we have done is really great making history and I think the Olympics is a continuation of that journey.
We want to go there and show people it is possible. I think a lot of people would not have thought that it is possible for the four of us to be where we are now but we have done that. So we want to continue to take that inspiration into the Olympics and do our best to represent our country.
Are you saying the ultimate goal is to win a medal at the Olympics or just to compete?
We are all athletes, we are competitive and we love to compete. We don’t go into a competition to say we just want to ‘jolly jolly’ (pidgin language which means play). We have trained really hard and we are ready to do our best. So if the opportunity for gold shows up, we are ready to take it.
Do you plan to focus on bobsled for the rest of your careers or are there other plans after this?
(Seun speaking) We definitely want to make sure that there is a legacy so that there can be a continuation of the Bobsled and Skeleton federation. Now what that means individually is that we have to take it one step at a time. To whatever capacity, we also represent what it means to be far more than just an athlete. We represent some other things within ourselves. We are just trying to show what it means to be successful.
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Is the Bobsled & Skeleton Sports Federation of Nigeria facing challenges, if yes – What are they and how do you think they can be addressed?
Some of the biggest challenges is obviously because we are just brand new. Being brand new and being historic in same year is unique but that itself, poses its own challenge. Being able to continue to develop the federation on this fast track that we are on, where we are still educating everyone about bobsled and skeleton and being able to continue that momentum is going to be our biggest challenge. But there are things we have in place right now to help that execution like bringing coaches from Nigeria to go with us to the Olympics game. We also have athletes that are in the federation to compete next season. We have a plan within Nigeria where we are going to draw in more home grown athletes.
How does the federation intend to create awareness for the sports and get more Nigerians to be part of it?
(Simi speaking) We are about to get on a plane to go to Korea and that is going to be a huge platform because we are about to showcase what this is all about. People will be able to see what this is all about and Nigeria can be at the Winter Olympics and be represented in the sports of bobsled and skeleton. When people see that, they will be really inspired. We have the world stage to showcase this and not only to Nigerians but also globally.
On a lighter note, what is going to be Team Nigeria’s outfit at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as we hope not to have the drama of the summer Olympics?
(Akuoma speaking) You just have to tune in (laughs with the ladies).
Meet Nigeria's history-making Bobsled team - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Sports.naija.ng
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