NOC desires Atlanta ’96 repeat performance
As preparations gathers momentum for the
Rio Olympic Games in Brazil, the Nigeria Olympic Committee along with
potential sponsors and other stakeholders say they are hopeful for a
surprise performance by Team Nigeria at the Games.
“As a matter of fact, we foresee Team
Nigeria performing better than the team that we took to the Atlanta’96
Games, because we’ve got the talent to help redefine Nigerian sports,”
the NOC President, Mallam Habu Gumel said.
The NOC leadership believes that with
Samson Siasia managing the U-23 Olympic football team, they are hopeful
that after a silver medal effort at the Beijing Olympics, the U-23
Eagles can recreate their sublime displays by winning the gold medal.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the football event of the London 2012
Olympics.
The NOC officials have also tipped top
Nigerian athletes like Blessing Okagbare and Tosin Oke to do well in Rio
de Janeiro with eyes also on the wrestling team and the male basketball
team styled D’Tigers.
“Gradually, we shall be realising our
desire to make Nigeria the best African team that will take part at the
forthcoming Olympics. We believe we can be better than the Kenyans, the
Ethiopians and many others; it’s time to show our stuff and there can’t
be a better time to prove our strength than now.”
The NOC President added that plans were
already in the pipeline to involve, at a larger scale, corporate Nigeria
in the build up to the Olympics with event now less than 100 days to
commencement.
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