• FG to finance injured stars treatment, Ambassador hosts athletes
Nigeria’s search for more medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games did not yield any fruit yesterday as a shot putter, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, and the women’s 4×100 metres relay team could not make the podium.
Nigeria had earlier in the competition won a silver medal through wrestler, Blessing Oborodudu and long jumper, Ese Brume.
Followers of the events in Tokyo always knew that it would take a miracle for Enekwechi and the relay girls to add to Nigeria’s medals due to their low ranking among the contestants.
Enekwechi was eliminated in the final round of the men’s shot put after throwing 19.74 metres to finish last in the 12-man contest, while the relay team could not go beyond the second preliminary round of the 4×100 metres.
Yesterday, Nigeria’s ambassador to Japan, Abubakar Moriki Husaini, hosted Team Nigeria in his residence in appreciation of their efforts at the Games.
Ambassador Husaini, in the company of his staff, thanked the contingent, especially the medallists, for making the country proud during the Olympics 2020.
Speaking at the event, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, expressed his delight at the support received from the Nigerian Embassy in Japan, just as he thanked the athletes for their exploits in Tokyo.
He said, “I have to sincerely thank all the athletes and officials that have worked assiduously to make Team Nigeria a success. To compete and win medals at the Olympics is a great honour in the country of over 200 million people.
The Federal Government of Nigeria is proud of you all, but let me quickly add that the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development will take care of the treatment of Enoch Adegoke, Blessing Oborodudu, Oluwatobiloba Amusan, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi and Usheoritse Itsekiri plus any of the athletes that are nursing any injury.”
