Former Nigerian track and field athlete, Falilat Ogunkoya has highlighted the need for Nigeria to go back to school sports if the country wants to revive the invincibility in athletics she enjoyed years ago, sports247 reports.
In a chat with journalist, the former Nigerian queen of the tracks said that we need to stop all individuals that call themselves coaches when they are not. In time past, athletics has always been the pride of Nigeria in athletic meetings with various medals worn mostly in the all African games and in the Olympics more importantly. Sometimes ago in the Olympics, when Nigeria was yet to win any medals, one’s hope rekindles if athletics was also yet to be done, because we are sure of medals there. But today, the case is not the same because the sports is gradually loosing it’s hold in Nigeria.
In hers words “School Sports. We must go back to the base. We need to stop All these individuals that called themselves a coach when their not.” she said when asked about the panacea she has for the revival of the Nigerian invincibility in athletics. How many primary and secondary schools have fields for athletes now? Are we still practicing the inter house competition we use to have those days? Are there still athletics club in our areas today? So how then can we have the best for the sports?
Nigeria have won a total of 25 medals in the Olympics with 13 of those coming from athletics alone. However in recent years, the medal standing has not been favourable for Nigeria simply because athletics is gradually loosing it’s hold of Nigeria. Nigeria won it’s last Olympic medal in athletic in 2008 with the like of Blessing Okagbare, Franka Idoko, and Gloria Kamasuode among other, clinching silver medals.
Ogunkoya has won a number of national championships, including a gold medal in 1996 in the 400 metres , gold in the 200 metres and 400 m in 1998, and gold again in 1999 and 2001 in the 400 m. Back in the 1999 Games in Johannesburg she won a gold medal in the 400 m.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics she won a
bronze medal in the 400 m, behind Marie-José Pérec of France and Cathy Freeman of
Australia , having a personal best and African record of 49.10 As at then. She is currently considered as one of the best Nigeria has ever produced in Athletics.
