Nigeria bobsled team

Last updated

Nigeria bobsled team
Sport Bobsledding
Founded2016
League International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation
Division
Chairman Seun Adigun
Manager Seun Adigun
Members

The Nigeria bobsled team or Nigerian bobsleigh team, represents Nigeria in bobsledding. The first team was established in 2016 by Seun Adigun, as a women's team for the 2-women event. In 2017, they qualified to be the first Nigerians at the Winter Olympics, and first Africans in bobsled at the Winter Olympics. [1]

Contents

History

The first national team was established in 2016 by Seun Adigun, in 2-woman bobsleigh. The team was entirely self-funding, without financial support from Nigerian authorities. Raising the money to run the team showed the Nigerian government that they needed to establish a governing federation for bobsled, which they did, the Bobsled & Skeleton Federation of Nigeria (BSFN). The team's first attempt to qualify for the Winter Olympics, was in 2017, for the 2018 Winter Olympics in bobsledding, the two-women event. The 2018 Olympic team consisted of driver Seun Adigun, and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga. In November 2017, the team met the basic standard to participate in the qualifications. If the team qualifies, this would represent the first appearance of Nigeria at the Winter Olympics; and the first African team in bobsled. The team qualified for the Olympics, being its representatives at the Winter Games. Nigeria became one of eight African countries to be represented at the 2018 Winter Olympics. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Onwumere carried the Nigerian flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony Parade of Nations, and marched with her two teammates, along with fellow Nigerian Simidele Adeagbo, who qualified for women's skeleton. [7] The team finished last among the 20 teams who competed. [8] After the Games, the 3 on the team retired from bobsled, but pledged to develop the sport in Nigeria, grow the Nigerian sporting federation, and grow winter sports and the Winter Olympics in Africa. [8]

The team arrived in Nigeria to celebrate their Olympic experience in March 2018, organized by the BSFN marketing team, the Temple Management Company (TMC), starting at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos. [9]

Equipment

Rosters

EventCompetitionSled-teamDriver(s)Braker(s)Pusher(s) [NB 1] Sled(s)Notes
2018 Winter Olympics2-womenNigeria 1 Seun Adigun Maeflower 2The team finished 20th out of 20 teams, just behind the Jamaican women's team.

Notes

  1. The 2-person sled has a driver and a brake operator, but no pushers, in the 4-person sled, there's a driver, brake operator and two pushers.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skeleton (sport)</span> Winter sliding sport

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Holcomb</span> American bobsledder (1980–2017)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seun Adigun</span> Nigerian athlete

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Ngozi Whitney Onwumere, also known as Betty Onwumere is an American– Nigerian sprinter and bobsledder who competes internationally for Nigeria. In track, Onwumere specializes in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay. Ngozi claimed gold alongside Blessing Okagbare, Lawretta Ozoh and Cecilia Francis in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2015 All-Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo. She also represented Nigeria at the 2015 IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas. She represented Nigeria at the 2018 Winter Olympics in 2-women bobsled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobsleigh at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germany at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austria at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">France at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italy at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latvia at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Latvia competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 34 competitors in 9 sports. They won one bronze medal in two-man bobsleigh and ranked 28th in the medal table.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigeria at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Nigeria sent a delegation to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea from 9–25 February 2018. This marked the debut for the country at the Winter Olympics. The delegation consisted of three bobsledders, who finished 19th in the two-woman competition, and skeleton racer Simidele Adeagbo who came in 20th in the women's event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Jamaica competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with three competitors in two sports.

Simidele Adeife Omonla Adeagbo, is a Nigerian skeleton racer who competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics. She is Nigeria and Africa's first female skeleton athlete. She was the first black female Olympian in the sport. In 2022, she won the woman's mono bob event in the 2022 EuroCup, held in Germany. In so doing, she became the first athlete from Africa to win an international sled race. Before competing in skeleton, Adeagbo competed in triple jump, last competing in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alysia Rissling</span> Canadian bobsledder

Alysia Rissling is a Canadian bobsledder. In 2015, she was the pilot for the first all-woman team in an official four-man bobsleigh race after the event became gender neutral. She competed in the two-woman bobsleigh event for Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics with Heather Moyse; the pair finished in 6th place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Jamaica competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.

References

  1. Jaime Lowe (6 March 2018). "The First African Team to Compete in Bobsled". New York Times.
  2. "Nigerian bobsled team will be country's first-ever Winter Olympics representatives". ABC News (Australia). 17 November 2017.
  3. CTV National News. 16 November 2017. CTV.
  4. Wendy-Anne Clarke (17 November 2017). "Nigerian women's bobsleigh team hope to make history in Pyeongchang". CBC News.
  5. Marissa Payne (17 November 2017). "Nigerian women become first African bobsled team to qualify for Olympics". Washington Post.
  6. Linus Unah (20 February 2018). "So How Excited Is Nigeria About Its History-Making Women's Bobsled Team?". NPR.
  7. Jennifer Calfas (10 February 2018). "Nigeria's First-Ever Bobsled Team Has Arrived at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony and People Are Really Excited". Time Magazine.
  8. 1 2 Melanie Hauser (22 March 2018). "As one journey ends, another begins for Nigerian bobsledders". Houston Chronicle.
  9. "Nigeria's Bobsled Team arrives from South Korea". Bella Naija. 3 March 2018.
  10. 1 2 Jerry Brewer (20 February 2018). "If you want to celebrate Olympic diversity, women's bobsled is a good place to be". Washington Post.

Further reading

See also