Get Guardian on GoogleFocus shifts to track and field events
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games has crossed its half way mark. Team Nigeria narrowly missed its first medal on Wednesday evening, when swimmer, Obatoyinbo Kashope Eyituoyo placed sixth in the Men’s 50M freestyle.
The lad had raised Team Nigeria officials’ hope earlier at the venue, when he made it to the final after winning the swim-off against his Bahrain counterpart 23.55seconds as against 23.56seconds. He finished sixth in the final event.
His sixth position notwithstanding, Team Nigeria’s officials praised the swimmer for his resilience and determination. He was the first Nigerian athlete to reach the final at Dakar 2026 YOG.
Speaking with The Guardian after the event, the Director of Grassroots Sports at the National Sports Commission (NSC), Prince Adeniyi Beyioku, and the Assistant Director of Grassroots Sports, Olalekan Alabi, were full of praises for the nation’s athletes for their show of character in Dakar so far.
Beyioku, the first Secretary General of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation when the body came into existence in early 2000s, said: “At this level of competition, it takes great courage, determination and self-discipline for an athlete to get to the medals zone. So far, our athletes have displayed this character of self-discipline, and it is only a matter of time for the medals to come.”
On his part, Alabi, who is a member of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for the maiden National Intermediate Games to be hosted by Lagos State next year, urged the athletes to see the ongoing Youth Olympic Games as a stepping step in their career.
“So far, I have seen great determination in these athletes. They have conducted themselves very well, and I want them to put more efforts in their approach to their events, particularly now that we are looking forward to athletics events.”
The duo praised the leadership of the NSC, headed by Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade, for their mentorship and solid foundation laid for Nigerian athletes, both at youth and senior level.
Team Nigeria’s attention will shift to track and field event this weekend, where five athletes will carry the nation’s hope for medals.
The NSC explained yesterday that only five athletes were registered to take part in track and field event.
NSC’s explanation came following reports on Wednesday that four out of the nine athletes will be forced to sit out their events and won’t compete, raising questions about the processes behind athlete selection and event entries.
However, a member of the NSC, Yusuf Alli, clarified that only five of the athletes were registered to compete, adding that the remaining four were brought by the NSC to watch and gain international exposure.
“It is not true that we registered all nine athletes to compete here in Dakar,” Alli told The Guardian. “The International Olympic Committee (IOC) listed the events and the AFN registered five athletes in areas it feels Nigeria has strength. What happened was that after the sendforth party for the team, some of the athletes who could not make the team cried to the Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade to be included just for them to get exposure.
And the DG, out of sympathy, directed that they should be brought here as part of the Commission’s way of exposing young athletes. It is wrong for anyone to cry aloud that the four athletes will miss their events after being registered,” Alli said.
Alli, an Olympian, added: “Things like this do happen in sports. At the 1980 Olympic Games, Henry Amike was taken to the Games just for international exposure. He was not registered to compete. And that was what encouraged Henry Amike to continue in sports.”
