Winter Olympics: Nigerians Must Celebrate Bobsled & Skeleton Athletes – NOC

Tunde Popoola, NOC Secretary General 

The Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, has described the first-ever appearance of Nigeria at the Winter Olympics, courtesy of the exemplary feat of the Bobsled and Skeleton athletes, as a rare showing of nationalism.

The Nigerian Bobsled Team is composed of the trio of Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga, and Ngozi Onwumere, while Nigeria’s Skeleton athlete, Simidele Adeagbo, would all be flying the country’s national flag at the Winter Olympic Games which is tagged PyeongChang 2018 Games.

Mr Tunde Popoola, Secretary General of the NOC told PM EXPRESS at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos that the NOC was so proud of the ladies for singled out themselves to compete on behalf of their fatherland. He said for the ladies to tested the water of the unknown where non of their country people have ever tested showed the high level of courage and determination.

According to Popoola, now that they have qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics, all hands must be on deck to support their outing in PyeongChang, adding that on the part of the NOC, the team will be given enough support at the international level while effort will be geared towards rallying local support for the ladies.

He said necessary things have done for them to perfect their appearance at the Olympics with the organisers of the PyeongChang Games and the International Olympic Committee, IOC. He disclosed that since the ladies qualified for the Bobsled and Skeleton events of this year’s Winter Games, the profile of Nigeria has been raised in the Winter Olympics record, while the focus of international media on Nigeria has also been raised tremendously.

“We cannot quantify the image laundering the country has received since these ladies have rewrite Nigeria history. This alone has added values to us as a country and we must all stand up to thank these girls, ” Popoola said.