Nigeria will be represented in two events at the forthcoming Winter Olympic Games tagged PyeongChang2018 – the women’s Bobsled and the women’s Skeleton event, after Simidele Adeagbo qualified for the latter, having finished 3rd in her fifth and final qualifying race held on January 11, in Lake Placid, New York.
Adeagbo, a former Triple Jumper and record holder for the University of Kentucky, had already completed four qualifying races: two in Calgary, Canada, and then two more at Park City, Utah.
After qualifying for PyeongChang2018, an excited Adeagbo shared the good news on her social media handle on Instagram, part of which reads: “Hello Pyeongchang! I successfully completed my 5th qualifying race with a 3rd place finish! I’m looking forward to representing @bsfnigeria & becoming the first female African Skeleton athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. Dreams do come true!”
Adeagbo’s journey to PyeongChang2018 only began in August 2017 when she traveled all the way to Houston, Texas, from her base in Johannesburg, South Africa, to participate in the first ever Nigerian Bobsled and Skeleton Federation tryouts. She was successful and was then invited for a team camp in Canada. Even more outstanding is the fact that she only touched a skeleton sled for the first time in September 2017.
She said: “I want to be an example and inspire others by showing them what’s possible. I want to change the conversation and the narrative on African women and believe it’s time for the world to see strong, smart, vivacious, courageous, beautiful and ambitious African women unapologetically blazing a trail in sports.”
Adeagbo will be joining the Bobsled trio of Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga, who also made history by becoming the first athletes from the continent to qualify for the Winter Olympics in the sport. The Winter Olympics hold from February 9 to 23 in South Korea, and we wish these exceptional ladies the very best at PyeongChang2018.
You can read more about Adeagbo on her website www.simisleighs.com
