An African nation had never competed in Olympic bobsled event until Nigerian duo Seun Adigun, and Akuoma Omeoga.
On Wednesday, all Adigun and Omeoga needed was “52.21 seconds” to make history in PyeongChang. Although the athletes lost in their two-woman bobsleigh heats, the real gold was establishing an Olympic mark for Africans in the sport of bobsledding.
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What’s even more inspiring is the journey the team had from initially being track and field athletes to the bobsledders we’ve fallen in love with. The original Nigerian team which consists of four members: Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere, Omeoga and Simidele Adeagbo was created less than two years ago when Adigun says she wanted to compete in the Olympics again.
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“I kind of had Olympic fever again”, Adigun told CBC. “I knew quite a few track and field athletes who had transitioned into the winter sports, so I figured, ‘You know, I think I could try this’.” After that, Adigun started to learn how to bobsled, then recruited Onwumere and Omeoga as brakemen. The team started off with a wooden sled Adigun built had herself because of financial difficulties until a crowdfunding campaign raised $75,000 to help the team buy an Olympic-level machine – just in time for the PyeongChang Games (Won’t He do it).
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Even though Adeagbo finished last in the skeleton event on Friday and Saturday, the team has won first place in our hearts. Congrats, Nigeria!
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