Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Fooling Nigerians in the Olympic spirit


NOC President, Sani Ndanusa
I can reveal with authority again that our officials are either deliberate liars who revel in fooling themselves thinking they are fooling the nation. Nigeria entered an unqualified athlete for the Olympics. I can also predict ahead that the athlete will NOT compete. I can also say that she will not even be in the Games Village as you read this report. I stand to be corrected.
The athlete is ESTHER OBIEKWE. On the list of the nation’s entry for the London 2012 Olympics, she was claimed will be competing in marathon. This athlete is not on the IAAF Top Athletes for Women Marathon. Infact, there’s no Nigerian in the list for both men and women.
The B standard for qualifying for London Olympic marathon event is 2.43:00. Please Sunny Oluku’s report (below) to see her records which is a far cry from the Olympic qualifier.
Secondly, I have gone to look at the requirements for qualifying for the event. (See Marathon & Race Walk below).
So, the issue is, who is deceiving Nigerians?

Marathon & Race Walk
A list of qualifying competitions for the Marathon and Race Walking events, which meet the IAAF’s
qualifying criteria, will be produced by the IAAF by 1 January 2011. The first 20 runners in the Men’s
Marathon and in the Women’s Marathon in the World Championships in Athletics of Daegu (Republic of
Korea) 2011 and the top 10 finishers at the IAAF Gold Label Marathons in 2011 and 2012 (held during the qualification period) will also be considered as having achieved the “A” qualification standard.


Nigeria's Obiekwe heads to 116th Boston Marathon 2012
By Sunny Oke Oluku |
Nigeria’s Esther Obiekwe, also known as "the Running Banker", is the sole Nigerian representative at the 116th Boston Marathon on Monday April 16, 2012.
Obiekwe will rub shoulders with 34 Elite Athletes from around the world, majority of them Africans in Boston. Reigning champions from Kenya, Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel, will defend their titles, but will be challenged by the fastest men’s and women’s fields ever assembled for the Boston Marathon.
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest marathon, and also one of only 3 marathons in the world which require a qualifying time (along with the Olympics and World Championships). With 31 contenders setting their personal best time in the past two years, including eight men under 2:07 and ten women under 2:24, the race will prove highly competitive.
The Boston Athletic Association, which is the race organizer, has reviewed its records, and verifies Miss Obiekwe as the sole Nigerian participant this year, as she has been since 2000.
"I am deeply honoured to represent Nigeria after the country's extended absence in the Boston Marathon, and am excited to run a personal record," Obiekwe said.
She clocked 3:36:40 at the 42km Dubai Marathon early last year to improve on her previous time of 3:49:55. And at the 38th Berlin Marathon in September 2011, she lowered her personal best (PB) further to 3:28:00. At the 2012 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon in January, she made some mistakes and finished at 3:49:40.
Obiekwe's coach, James Lafferty, a former CEO of Nigerian Bottling Company who now resides in The Philippines, said: "It is not reflective of the amazing breadth of talent in Nigeria that Esther is the sole participant from Nigeria this century.
"I believe it is more a matter of continuing to develop distance running in the country and to find more sponsors to defray the significant costs to send each athlete to Boston."
"Nigerians are strong and resilient and with proper support can compete with the East Africans that currently dominate the sport," he added.
Obiekwe's story indeed is impressive. The 36-year-old Banker, whose hobby is running, currently works at Fidelity Bank Plc, Lagos and uses her annual vacations to run marathons.
"I love running and I am lucky to run with other professionals in a local running club based in Ikoyi." Obiekwe stated.
"Most of us use our vacations to run marathons and I am thankful for my organization which also supports my active lifestyle. I was also discovered by the club Coach Jim Lafferty".
After adopting an early morning training regimen, she finished as the top Nigerian in the 2010 Athens Marathon, followed by continual improvements in Dubai and Berlin in 2011.
She is presently the top ranked Nigerian Female marathoner on the international circuit, on top of her demanding role as a corporate banker.
As Obiekwe says, "it’s a challenge to juggle a career and elite running career, but I thrive on challenges".

2 comments:

  1. Get your facts straight. Esther Obiekwe selflessly gives of her time and money to support youth running and develop distance running in Nigeria. She is a wonderful human being and the best of Nigeria. She was ASKED to participate as a NON QUAIFIED athlete (each federation can enter one non qualified athlete) as a means to develop youth female distance running. She was to pay her own way to London, 100% of the costs being borne privately. AFN did not pay a single naira for her to go. Why do you attack someone like this? Get your facts straight.

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  2. Anonymous does not know that you have to qualified to compete at the olympics.Esther did not meet the standard and her name should not have been on that list.The reporter never attacked her in the first place.Esther should be mad at NOC and AFN for making her look like a fool.

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