Can Team Nigeria Deliver as track event climax?
By Morakinyo Abodunrin, Athens
Sunday, August 22, 2004

As the track and field events of the 28th Olympiad gather momentum with the finals of the 100 metres male and female scheduled for the Olympic Stadium today, US athletes, who were pre-Games favourites appear set for an encore, even as Team Nigeria athletes stake claims for medals.

With the eventual withdrawal of local favourite, Kostardis, Maurice Greene and his compatriots appear set to clinch the gold medal in the 100 metres, making Deji Aliu and Uchenna Emedeolu’s quest a herculean task.

Rated in the 9th and 10th positions respectively, Emedolu and Aliu would be attempting the impossible as their best timing is nowhere near the time that Greene and his compatriots clocked in their trials as well as the heats at the Games.

Although these athletes have not been a force to reckon with in the sprints at the highest level, they are under intense pressure to deliver following the decision to strip the USA of the gold medal of the 4 x 100 metres won in Sydney 2000 over doping offence by one of the athletes.

Moreover, with Nigeria already out of contention in areas like boxing, weightlifting and basketball, it appears the country’s best medal prospect lies in the sprints and relays.
Ironically, it is another Nigerian, Francis Obikwelu, who is competing for Portugal that could shatter the dreams of his former compatriots, as he is rated 7th ahead of the duo of Aliu and Emedolu.
If ratings and pre-Olympic performances are the yardstick to be used in deciding where the pendulum of victory would swing, then the US athletes are the favourites. But the problem of the drug scandal may take the shine off the finals, even with the absence of the homeboy, who picked silver four years ago in Sydney.

In the 4 x 400 metres, the quartet of Gooday Friday, Saul Weigopwa, Musa Audu and Enefiok Udo-Obong has the onerous task of reenacting the feat of Sydney, when Nigeria came away with the silver.
A lot has changed since then with the ban on the US gold winning team and the award of the gold to Nigeria. This development might spur the team to clinch the gold on the track this time around and not by default.

In the women category, Endurance Ojokolo may be Nigeria’s best, but she does not reckon in the league of the world’s best. Ditto for Mercy Nku, who remain one of the country’s brightest stars.
However, what they cannot achieve in the sprints, they should make up in the 4 x 400 metres with Gloria Nwosu, Nauline Ibeagha and Chinedu Odozor-Onikeku striving for the medal.

Although considered as largely inexperienced at the Olympics level, the athletes should be able to bring their youthfulness and the quest to establish themselves as forces to reckon with to bear based on their performances.

According to AAC’s Lamine Dtuck, "some of these athletes have done some impressive time, and since the Olympics is getting crazier, then anything is possible."
He is however banking more on the male athletes than their female counterparts because of their exposure at previous Olympics as well as consistency at major athletics meets.
As the Nigerian athletes take to the tracks with the world’s best, the question on every one’s lips is, ‘can they turn the tide of victory?’

Indeed, with bronze and silver at Los Angeles 84 and Barcelona 92 won by the men and the women in 1992 and 1996 respectively, Nigeria could once again prove to the world that her performances at previous meets were no fluke.
With the clamp down on drug cheats, no athlete has run an extra-ordinary time. This has created a level track for those competing clean with the prospect of winning laurels.