• Gumel assures contingent of NOC’s support

Former African 100m champion, Mary Onyali, has advised Nigerian athletes heading to Dakar, Senegal for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games to be focused and clear minded when the battle for medals begin in Senegal on October 31.

Team Nigeria will depart for Dakar on October 29 for the Youth Olympic, which will run from October 31 to November 12.

Onyali, who represented Nigeria in five senior Olympic Games told The Guardian yesterday that winning medals at the Youth Olympics requires a lot, including discipline, dedication and resilience.

Although Onyali did not participate in the Youth Olympics her days, she earned historic podium finishes at the inaugural World Junior Championships in Athens, Greece, in 1986, where she established herself as a rising global sprint talent.

Onyali said: “There was nothing like the Youth Olympics in our days, but the World Athletics Junior Championships was so competitive. The difference is that the Youth Olympics is combined with other sporting events. An athlete requires a lot to compete at that level and emerge champion and I want our young athletes to take note.

“Nigeria has a small but compact team going to Dakar, and this makes it easy for the National Sports Commission (NSC) to manage. The athletes should know they are our ambassadors in Dakar and they should compete without fear. They should approach their events the same way they have approached other local and international competitions. They must remember that crossing the line first matters a lot,” Onyali said.

Onyali said that she has confidence Team Nigeria’s ability to excel in Dakar, explaining: “An athlete like of Rosemary Nwankwo, for instance, has the experience required to win the 100m gold for Nigeria in Dakar. My prayer is that the athletes should get their acts right when it matters.”

Apart from Rosemary Nwankwo, Team Nigeria is banking on the likes of Faith Ezechukwu, Chisom Rita Ezeh, Tejiri Praise Ugoh, Gift Gowon Oghenerunor and Bright Gift to win medals in the athletics event.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) President, Habu Gumel, has assured Nigeria’s contingent to the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, of the country’s support.

Gumel gave the assurance while receiving the Nigerian contingent ahead of the Games in Abuja yesterday.

He expressed confidence in the athletes selected by the National Sports Commission (NSC), adding that the nation would build on its previous performances at the Youth Olympic Games.

The NOC president commended the NSC chairman and director general for their efforts in preparing the athletes, particularly in training, welfare and kitting.

Gumel said: “Nigeria has been participating in the Youth Olympic Games since the beginning in Singapore, and we have been doing very well. I believe this time around we are going to do well.”