It is always a painful experience when I see the consequences of some of our actions and inactions, from those we put in positions of authority…
Like this night, I was so hurt seeing one of our daughters, Annette Echikunwoke Nneka, winning a Silver medal for the United States of America in the Hammer Throw. This could have been a win for Nigeria, but our usual bad attitude towards things of great importance has cost us this one.
The young girl whose parents are from Nigeria but she was born in the United States of America, opted to represent her fatherland at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, but the negligence of the Nigerian offices saw her and about ten other athletes disqualified from participating in the 2020 Olympics.
The Nigerian officials (Athletics Federation of Nigeria) failed to carry out the necessary and required drug tests. And with the country classified as a high-risk nation for anti-doping matters, as such, athletes are required to undergo three out-of-competition tests within 10 months before the event.
But the Nigerian officials failed to comply, hence why many of their athletes including Annette Echikunwoke were disqualified from the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020. Do you know that she broke the African record during the qualifying stage, yet it all ended in heartbreak and disappointment for the 28 year old Patriot.
Frustrated and heartbroken by the incident, she opted to represent the United States of America after initially opting to represent Nigeria. And this night (Tuesday August 6, 2024) she has won a stunning silver medal in Hammer Throw at the Paris Olympics for U.S.
She narrowly lost the Gold medal to World Champion, Camryn Rogers. Annette threw a massive 75.48-meter to clinch the Silver, China’s Jie Zhao took home Bronze medal with a throw of 74.27 meters, and while Canada Camryn Rogers got the Gold medal with a throw of 76.97 meters.
Others are Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk, who came 4th with a throw of 74.23 meters, with Silja Kosonen of Finland making up the top five (5) with a throw of 74.04 meters.
Annette has been in the game quite from a young age, right from when she won the shot put and Discus Throw during a school sports event years ago, and that inspired her to pursue a career in it. She equally has a cousin who is equally a star, but a movie star, in the person of actress Megalyn Echikunwoke.
Today, that very negligence has sold our glory to the United States of America. This is so painful indeed.
