Mabel Madojemu, a 400m bronze medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, says athletics is a medal prospect for Nigeria at the 2020 Olympics.
Madojemu, who represented Nigeria at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that both the home-based and foreign-based athletes have started to prove their mettle.
She said that it was noteworthy to appreciate the athletes for their zeal and commitment, saying that the medal prospects were getting more enhanced with their performances.
“The possibility and probability of Nigeria’s top three medals in Tokyo 2020 is getting more enhanced with the performance of Nigerian athletes in their various programmes abroad.
“The current crop of home-based athletes are also encouraging,’’ she said.
NAN reports that the likes of Chuwuebuka Enekwechi, a shot-put thrower, over the weekend, kicked off his season by smashing his personal best of 21.14 metres with a new record of 21.28 metres.
He won the men’s Shot Put at the George Glass Invitational.
Others who put Nigeria on the global map at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) championships during the weekend included, Divine Oduduru, Mercy Abire, Fabian Edoki and Benjamin Arinze.
She also appealed to young athletes not to relent in their zeal to be world-class athletes, saying that they should go after their dream and stay away from incriminating substances.
“My advice to young athletes is to go after their dreams, work hard, stay focused and stay away from drugs.
“You don’t run with money, you run for money and glory, the sky is the limit,’’ she said.
Madojemu also stressed the need for female athletes to keep their heads high by staying focused on their careers.
“My advice to female athletes is that there are no short cuts to success.
“Keep your head high, stay focused and keep your mindset at where and what you want to achieve in your chosen sport or career,” she said.
Madojemu added that she was discovered by men and father-like individuals who took her under their wings without pressure and nurtured her to glory.
Madojemu was also among the 4x400m squad that won gold at the 1999 All African Games in South Africa.
She also represented the country at the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Seville, Spain. (NAN)
