The Nigerian contingent at the Beijing Olympics will be in a sorrowful mood as the Nigerian sprinters that took part in yesterday’s and today’s 100m race failed to make it to the semi-finals and finals save for wonder girl Oludamola Osayomi who will be running in the semi-finals tomorrow. After an impressive start in yesterdays first round heats for men that saw two Nigerian’s Olusoji Fasuba and new Boy Obinna Metu making it to the quarter finals, the Nigerians failed to improve as all the male sprinters who took part in the 100m crashed out. Another Nigerian Francis Obikwelu, silver medalist at the last Olympics and who chose Portugal ahead of his fatherland qualified for the Semi-finals with 10.09sec although he could not make it to today’s finals.  Olusoji Fasuba and Obinna Metu both qualified for the quarter finals yesterday after the first heats and raised the hopes that a Nigerian might get to the final. Fasuba finished the first heats with 10.29seconds while Metu finished with 10.34secs. The third Nigerian Uchenna Emedolu could not qualify as he finished a distant 5th with 10.46secs.

In the quarterfinal heats yesterday evening, while the likes of Usain Bolt of Jamaica (world’s fastest man), Chrandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles, Richard Thompson of Trinidad $ Tobago and Asafa Powel of Jamaica were finishing at 9.92, 9.99, 9.99 and 10.02 respectively, Olusoji Fasuba managed to finish at 10.21 coming 4^th in his own group while Obinna Metu finished at 10.27 coming a distant 6^th thus ending all hopes of a medal for the Nigerian athletes.  It will be interesting to note that FASUBA started very well and was leading in the first 50metres before Richard Thompson, Tyson Gay of USA, and Martial Mbandjock of France all came from behind to overtake him. Metu on his part made a false start initially and was shown a yellow card which affected him in the re-run as he failed to start well.

In today’s finals, new kid on the block 21year old Usain Bolt of Jamaica who will celebrate his 22^nd birthday next week Thursday smashed the world record of 9.72 which he set in NY three months ago and set a new world/Olympic record of 9.69sec. GOD!! Why is this guy not a Nigerian, Lagos would have been on fire now. Bolt wearing Bib no: 2163 and running on lane four started leading from halfway and there was almost no challenger as he practically strolled past the finish line with only photographers who were too eager to record history coming from the sides.

The University of Technology, Jamaica Undergraduate student became the first sprinter to set the world record in the Olympics since Donovan Bailey ran 9.84 at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. As I was watching Bolt run today, the race looked so easy, it seems as if everybody could do it but NO, Bolt is a special one whose 9.69sec record will be very hard to break by any other athlete. Thompson Richard of Trinidad/Tobago ran 9.89sec to take the silver while American DIX Walter finished at 9.91 to get the bronze. The guy from Netherlands Antilles, Chrandy Martina came fifth after finishing at 9.93 while two Jamaicans, former world record holder Asafa Powell and Michael Frater finished 5^th and 6^th respectively at 9.95 and 9.97sec. Marc burns of Trinidad and Tobago and Patton Davis of the US ran 10.01 and 10.03 to finish 7^th and 8^th. Today’s 100m final will be the first time ever that six runners will run under 10 seconds in the Olympic events.  

In the 100m women events, the Nigerian women started pretty well with Franca Idoko and our hope of the moment, Oludamola Osayomi making it to the quarter finals. The third Nigerian Halimat Ismailia could not make it to the quarterfinals after running 11.72sec. Franca Idoko and Oludamola Osayomi ran 11.61 and 11.13 sec to qualify. (Osayomi ran the fastest time in the first round heats). In the quarterfinals, Franca Idoko ran 11.66sec to place 7^th in the first quarter final thereby failing to qualify for the semis. Oludamola Osayomi ran 11.28, 0.15sec less than the time she ran in the earlier round. I pray she makes it up in the semi finals tomorrow and keep the Nigerian Flag flying as she is our only hope of getting a medal in the 100m events.

As our hope of picking a medal in the ongoing Olympics gets bleaker by the day, it will be better if we focus our attention on the next Olympics London 2012 which is 4 years from Now immediately after this event. The NSC, AFN and all other agencies that oversee sporting activities in Nigeria should start preparations now so that we can get the results in London. The senate and house of rep committees on sports should also get involved even if it means passing laws that will make it compulsory for Nigerian athletes to be getting good incentives from the government. There is no how we can start preparations few months to the main event and expect to win 7 gold medals. That is practically impossible, Miracles like that doesn’t happen in this 21^st century, you have to make serious preparations before success comes.  

However, if we are too dumb and lazy to groom young athletes and motivate them to become champions in future, let us close down the Sports Ministry, scrape all agencies that oversee sports activities in Nigeria and then whenever there is a major world events, we buy already-made athletes just like other countries are doing and offer them good package so they will fly the Nigerian flag.

Nnamdi Bob Okite

Robot  # 1 | 16.08.2008 22:03

The Nigerian contingent at the Beijing Olympics will be in a sorrowful mood as the Ni...Read the full article.

aringaranso  # 2 | 17.08.2008 04:23

I feel your sense of patriotism bro,but I don't think Osayomi will be getting any medal in Women's 100m events.I saw her worked very hard to finish on 11.28. Hopefully,she might make it to the Semis,but does she have a chance against the likes of Kerron Stewart(10.98),Sheron Simpson(11.02),Lauryn Williams(11.07),Muna Lee(11.08)...............I really do not think so! Its a pity that Fasuba, a 9.85 sprinter, couldn't make it to Men's100m finals,but that has now been overshadowed by Gay's and Obikwelu's poor perfomance.So he now has an alibi.Good for him! We managed 2 bronze medals in Anthens,I don't think we can do any better at Beijing. And to think that the Landlord of AsoVilla wants them come back with 9 Golds,may be someone needs to kidnap that boy,Phelps.lol.

bobokite  # 3 | 17.08.2008 05:41

=aringaranso;4295084529>I feel your sense of patriotism bro,but I don't think Osayomi will be getting any medal in Women's 100m events.I saw her worked very hard to finish on 11.28. Hopefully,she might make it to the Semis,but does she have a chance against the likes of Kerron Stewart(10.98),Sheron Simpson(11.02),Lauryn Williams(11.07),Muna Lee(11.08)...............I really do not think so! Its a pity that Fasuba, a 9.85 sprinter, couldn't make it to Men's100m finals,but that has now been overshadowed by Gay's and Obikwelu's poor perfomance.So he now has an alibi.Good for him! We managed 2 bronze medals in Anthens,I don't think we can do any better at Beijing. And to think that the Landlord of AsoVilla wants them come back with 9 Golds,may be someone needs to kidnap that boy,Phelps.lol. Have you forgotten Osayomi ran the fastest time in the first heats 11.13 sec, if she can improve on that time, she will get into the finals and maybe pick a medal for us. and phelps... my God! the guy is good.

aringaranso  # 4 | 17.08.2008 07:52

To be fair to the babe,I think she did her best,but this is one of the moments when one's best is not enough.

bobokite  # 5 | 17.08.2008 07:55

=aringaranso;4295084552>To be fair to the babe,I think she did her best,but this is one of the moments when one's best is not enough. It’s a pity, Osayomi is finally out. She ran 11.44sec in the second semi-finals today. Anyway, Another Nigerian Nnkiruka Onyia qualified for the semi-finals 100m hurdle though she is representing Spain.

denker  # 6 | 17.08.2008 10:49

=bobokite;4295084554>It’s a pity, Osayomi is finally out. She ran 11.44sec in the second semi-finals today. Anyway, Another Nigerian Nnkiruka Onyia qualified for the semi-finals 100m hurdle though she is representing Spain. ...point of correction...she is spanish..not nigeriana...:confused1