Nigerian duo Seun Adigun and Akuoma Omeoga \u201cmade history in 52.21 seconds\u201d in PyeongChang yesterday, says\u00a0NBC.<\/p>\n
Although the pair finished last in their two-woman bobsleigh heats, losing out on the chance of racing for a medal in this afternoon\u2019s final, they won the honour of becoming the first athletes from an African nation to compete in a bobsleigh event.<\/p>\n
Their inspirational journey has touched many sports fans, predictably drawing comparisons to the 1993 film Cool Runnings, which told the story of Jamaica\u2019s first-ever bobsleigh team.<\/p>\n
The Nigerian team was founded less than two years ago by US-born Adigun, who represented Nigeria in the 100m hurdles at the 2012 London Games.<\/p>\n
After watching the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, \u201cI kind of had Olympic fever again\u201d, Adigun told\u00a0CBC. \u201cI knew quite a few track and field athletes who had transitioned into the winter sports, so I figured, \u2018You know, I think I could try this\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
After learning how to drive a bobsled, Adigun recruited fellow Nigerian-Americans Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga – both also former sprinters – as brakemen for Nigeria\u2019s first-ever bobsleigh team.<\/p>\n
As well as their lack of previous Olympic experience, the squad have had to overcome financial and logistical hurdles.<\/p>\n
Only Adigun, who previously trained with the US bobsleigh squad, has raced on ice before, and until recently the team trained on a wooden sled that Adigun built herself.<\/p>\n
A crowdfunding campaign raised $75,000 (\u00a354,000) to help the team buy an Olympic-level machine in time for the PyeongChang Games.<\/p>\n
The bobsleigh team make up three-quarters of Nigeria\u2019s first ever Winter Olympics delegation.<\/p>\n
The fourth and final member, Simidele Adeagbo, raced in the skeleton event on Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
Although she finished last in both heats, Adeago – who only took up the skeleton last year – was just milliseconds behind her nearest rivals.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old, who is based in South Africa, said that she was overwhelmed by the support she had received in PyeongChang.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople just want to be a part of my story,\u201d she told the Johannesburg-based\u00a0Mail and Guardian. \u201cWhen they see me in my Nigerian jacket, people from all over want to stop and take pictures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Judging by the reception the squad received on Twitter, Team Nigeria can now count fans all over the world:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nigerian duo Seun Adigun and Akuoma Omeoga \u201cmade history in 52.21 seconds\u201d in PyeongChang yesterday, says\u00a0NBC. Although the pair finished last in their two-woman bobsleigh heats, losing out on the chance of racing for a medal in this afternoon\u2019s final, they won the honour of becoming the first athletes from an African nation to compete […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"news-category":[321],"class_list":["post-7569","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-sports","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\n