Irene Dumuje, mother of Aidan Dumuje, shared her insights and reflections following her son’s triumph at the 8th National Youth Games, where he clinched gold medals in swimming.
In an exclusive interview with Sports247, Irene opened up about her athletic background and her approach to encouraging young athletes.
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Irene, a former track runner and high jumper who qualified for the Junior Olympics, spoke about her ongoing involvement in sports.
“Once in a while, I do a little bit of track, just to encourage him. I take him out. I stopped before the Junior Olympics, but I qualified for it,” she said, reminiscing about her athletic journey.
When asked about her current contributions to youth sports, Irene explained that she provides informal coaching and motivation to her son’s friends and other young athletes.
“I encourage them, use him as an example, and do pep talks. Even here, I motivated four or five kids from different states to participate in events they were hesitant about,” she noted.
Reflecting on Aidan’s athletic versatility, Irene mentioned that he initially showed potential in athletics. “Our dream was for him to be an athlete, also in football, because he does multiple sports.
But his coach might consider putting him in athletics for the next youth games. It might be tasking to juggle both sports, but we’ll see what the future holds,” she shared.
Regarding Aidan’s current achievements, Irene highlighted his focus on improvement rather than just medals. “He has four gold medals, including in relay. We look at his times and progress.
Each time he gets in the pool, we want improvement. He aims to go to the Olympics, and we hope for qualifying times soon,” she said.
Irene also touched on her role as an educator, owning a nursery school, which complements her passion for nurturing young talents.
She emphasized the importance of early development in sports. “Many young talents are discovered here.
It’s crucial to grab them young, and build their spirit, and sportsmanship to take them to a higher level. It’s not just about gold medals but gaining experience and confidence,” she concluded.
Irene Dumuje’s insights offer a comprehensive look at the nurturing environment behind Aidan’s success and stress the broader significance of early sports development in Nigeria.
