FEB 7 FAQ's ABOUT THE NIGERIAN WOMEN'S BOBSLED TEAM

FEB 7  FAQ's ABOUT THE NIGERIAN WOMEN'S BOBSLED TEAM

Opening ceremonies for the XXIII Winter Olympics in South Korea are just two days away! While most news sources just cover the obvious stories, like the frigid weather, the flu outbreak or the tedious North/South Korean tensions...we here at the DUNER BLOG are focused on something much more important: The Nigerian Women's Bobsled Team. Let's answer some obvious questions:

Is this Nigeria's first appearance in the Winter Games? Of course it is! Other tropical nations have sent athletes to the Winter Olympics. The first was a skier from Mexico in 1934. The most famous representatives were the charming Jamaican Bobsled Team. They entered the 1988 Games in Calgary with much fanfare and finished in a very credible 14th place. Sadly, though, no athlete from a tropical country has ever metaled in the Winter Olympics.

Where do they train? Like the Jamaicans, the Nigerians trained in the USA. Houston and Colorado, to be exact. In fact, the three ladies (2 woman bobsled + 1 reserve) all have dual American /  Nigerian citizenship. And they all have loads of experience training in the states. Ten years ago, all three were top flight sprinters at various US colleges. In fact, the leader of the group, Seun Adigun, ran the 100 meter hurdles for Nigeria at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

What was their inspiration? Yes, Cool Runnings (the movie based on the Jamaican bobsled phenomenon) did have a lot to do with it! Agidun considers the four athletes "legends" and said: "It's an honor to be compared to them." This, combined with a longing to return to the Olympics, was her inspiration. Adigun began her quest humbly at a Houston hardware store. She bought supplies to build a simple sled. Named Maeflower after her late sister, she next managed to convince two friends to join. "It wasn't easy" she reflects. "Everyone thought I was crazy."

Do they have any corporate sponsors? Of course they do! After a couple successful practices, Adigun launched a GoFundMe account. Over time, the three gained enough notoriety to get an official sponsorship from Visa. This helped immensely, as the Nigerian Olympic Committee was leery of funding them. Their jerseys are Under Armour, another partnership. Finally, when they train, the ladies listen to music on custom headphones from Beats by Dre. (Keep an eye out for the TV commercial).

Despite the fame and financial success of the endeavor, Adigun wants the world to know her motivation is elsewhere. She wants more Africans to try Winter Olympic sports. Adigun wants people to know there are sports other than soccer to play. "Diversity explains to people that there are no limits in this life." Well said: That's truly what the Olympic spirit is all about.