In the exciting world of Nigerian sports, there are so many cool stories about athletes who win really big and never, ever give up. Take Chioma Ajunwa, for example. She won this super important thing back in Atlanta in ’96. And then there’s the Dream Team, who had these amazing wins that no one will ever forget. Nigerian athletes, they’re like superstars at the Olympics.
But you know what’s not so cool? When all the cheering stops and they go back home, lots of these athletes are still struggling to make ends meet. Most times, they don’t get the support they need, even after they’ve done such awesome stuff.
Anyways, there’s some good news on the way! World Athletics have said they will give money to the people who win Gold medals. And that means fairer treatment for athletes, even the ones from Nigeria.
Finally, right? It’s about time these athletes got some recognition for how hard they work. And now, as they are getting ready for the next Olympics, they will be feeling pretty hopeful. Maybe this time they will finally get the support they have been waiting for.
As per information from nbcolympics.com, World Athletics, the global governing body for athletics(Track & Field), is set to make history by introducing prize money for athletes at the Olympics for the first time. At the upcoming Paris Games, gold medalists in the 48 track and field events will receive $50,000 each from World Athletics in recognition of their achievements. Additionally, relay teams will be granted $50,000 as a collective, to be divided among their members.
What Did they say?
A statement by worldathletics.org reads:
“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games.
“This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport.
“We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra US$5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.
“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.”
Nigerian Athletes(Track $ Field) Who have Qualified For Paris 2024 Olympics
Track & road events
- Favour Ashe — Men’s 100 m
- Emmanuel Bamidele — Men’s 400 m
- Edose Ibadin — Men’s 800 m
- Ezekiel Nathaniel — Men’s 400 m Hurdles
- Favour Ofili — Women’s 200 m
- Tobi Amusan — Women’s 100 m Hurdles
Field Events
- Ese Brume — Women’s Long Jump
- Ruth Usoro — Women’s Long Jump
- Chukwuebuka Enekwechi — Men’s Shot put
How Nigeria fared in the 2020 Olympics track & field events
During the 2020 Olympics in Japan, Nigeria proudly sent a team of 12 athletes to compete in track and field events. Among them were some well-known names like Ese Brume, Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, and Tobi Amusan. Despite the high hopes and efforts of the team, only one athlete managed to secure a medal. Ese Brume emerged as the standout performer, clinching a Bronze medal in the women’s long jump event.
A better performance than 2020 is a necessity
If Nigeria repeats its performance from the 2020 Olympics in this year’s games, then the financial incentives from the World Athletics Federation might not hold much weight. Why? Well, because the Federation declared that only Gold medalists will be awarded the $50,000 prizes. Nigeria only secured one medal in this sport in 2020, which was a Bronze. If Nigerian athletes hope to benefit from this financial reward, they’ll need to push themselves harder and aim for Gold. After all, only Gold medalists will receive the reward, emphasizing the necessity to improve upon the performance from 2020.
