Nigeria’s latest track field on the block, Rosemary Chukwuma has come out to recount the level of pressure she felt before stunning the world by winning the women’s 100m gold at the 2018 Youth Olympic Gmaes.
After emerging as the new lass to shout about at YOG 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chukwuma has said she was under intense pressure before she won Nigeria’s first medal at the competition on Monday.
Chukwuma made history when she set a new personal best of 11.17secs to win the women’s 100m ahead of Saint Lucia’s Julen Alfred, who sports247.ng learnt finished in 11.99 secs to win silver.
Team Nigeria is featuring in eight sports, namely athletics, badminton, boxing, canoeing, golf, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
he country’s medals increased on Tuesday, after Oritsemeyiwa Ineh won a silver in the men’s triple jump, with a leap of 16.34m behind Cuba’s Jordan Diaz Fortun, who jumped 17.14m.
Chukwuma’s gold medal on Monday was followed by a silver for male sprinter, Alaba Akintola in the boys’ 100m.
In the aftermath of her feat, the excited Chukwuma said she was spurred to win gold after she learnt that Nigeria had not won any medal before her event.
“I won my first heat in 12.03secs, which was poor for me. Coming to this competition, I had a personal best of 11.40ses.
“I was afraid that I wouldn’t do well in the final, but I thank God that I was able to do it.
“Apart from that, I was under a little pressure because my teammates were watching me.
“I was informed that Nigeria had yet to win any medal since the competition started. The hope for the first medal was on me and eventually I was able to win it.
“I thank God I was able to do that. I am very happy and excited to be a Youth Olympics champion.”
