August 09, (THEWILL) – A Nigerian cyclist, Ese Ukpeseraye, competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics using a borrowed bicycle from the German team. This situation came about because of a last-minute reallocation of slots in the cycling events, leaving Team Nigeria unprepared with the necessary equipment.
Senator John Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, explained that Nigeria originally qualified for one road race in cycling. However, two weeks before the Olympics, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) informed them of additional slots in the Keirin and individual sprint events due to another country’s disqualification.
According to Enoh’s explanation on X, this sudden inclusion required special track bikes, which typically take months to deliver after ordering. To enable Ukpeseraye’s participation, the Nigerian Cycling Federation, through her European club and a German company, acquired a track bike for her to use in the competition.
Ukpeseraye expressed gratitude to the German team for their sportsmanship in lending her the bicycle. She is set to compete in the individual sprint event on August 9, 2024, for which she originally qualified.
This incident follows other logistical issues faced by Team Nigeria at the Paris Olympics, including the initial omission of athlete Favour Ofili from the 100-metre races despite her qualification. The Sports Minister has stated that proper equipment will be provided for Ukpeseraye’s upcoming individual sprint race.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
