TOKYO 2020NE: HALF WAY SCORE CARD

 Tokyo 2020ne; Half way score card.

By Akin Bolarinwa. 

Despite the fact that we are yet to win any medal at the on going Tokyo Olympics in Japan, most of our young athletes have achieved personal bests. 


Our young swimmer, Habibat, broke one of the longest standing national records, swimming under 1 minute in the 100 meter freestyle event. 


Our young Taekwondo player, at her first Olympics was not disgraced by a top competitor. 


Our mixed relay athletes were first to represent Africa and set the a new record for Nigeria and for our continent.

 

Team Nigeria to the Tokyo Olympics is perhaps one of the youngest with new discoveries.


Team Nigeria has 39 athletes who are coming to the Olympics for the very first time as debutants and almost 20 of them are below 25 years.  


It is important to say that many of them were matched against athletes who are world number 1, or have been to 2-3 Olympics.


With this young Team Nigeria, we are building a future team for France 2023 if kept together.


All these are building blocks and we should see the positives in everything. 


Let us still believe at the halfway stage of the Olympics that Nigeria has chances of medals even with the best conditions and best preparations, winning medals at the Olympics is not guaranteed.


We cannot talk about optimum preparations, but as far as preparations go, we should believe in our athletes no matter what maybe.   


We must however give props to the current Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare, over the last few months, we have all seen the desire he has to reposition sports not only on the field of play but at the sustainable business level. 


Minister Sunday Dare is always looking at the bigger picture and over the past two years, the minister has been very responsive to the requests of team Nigeria while preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 


This whole endeavour can be likened to a puzzle and everyone from coaches, training partners, relatives, loved ones, partners, sponsors, individuals, corporations and governments at all levels all have to do their part to complete the puzzle. 


We as a nation must continue our prayers to God to allows His name to be glorified at the end of the day so Nigerians can fully appreciate the government and people who have brought us this far.

Location: Tokyo, Japan

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