Adegoke Applauds FG, Sports Ministry over Tokyo 2020

One of Nigeria’s star athletes at the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Enoch Adegoke, has applauded the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Sports for supporting his quest towards achieving a great feat at the Games.

Though he was not a favourite in Tokyo, Adegoke created a new history as he became the third Nigerian and first in 25 years to make the Olympics 100m men’s final.

Despite failing to finish the final race due to injury, the Fiditi, Oyo State-born athlete finished the Olympics with his head high.

To get to the final, Adegoke stormed to a new Personal Best of 9.98secs in his heat while also beating Asian record holder, Femi Ogunode, British star, Zharnel Hughes, and 2021 world leader Team USA’s Trayvon Bromell to win his 100m heat.

Impressed by Adegoke’s feat, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, announced that the Sports Ministry was going to foot the medical bills of the sprinter along with three others who competed for Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with injuries.

The four athletes include; Adegoke who stopped 40 metres into the 100m final due to a hamstring trouble and Usheoritse Itshekiri who also pulled his hamstring in the semi-final of the blue ribband event.

Sprint hurdler, Tobi Amusan, who placed fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles, as well as Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who made history as the first Nigerian man or woman to compete in the final of the Shot Put event at the Olympics.

“When I heard that the ministry will be taking care of my treatment, I was very happy,” he said.

“While going to Tokyo, I was adopted and that helped me to give my all and it was so unfortunate that I had that injury in the final, despite that, I was happy that I was able to end a 25-year absence of a Nigerian in the final.

“I thank the Federal Government through the minister and the ministry of sports for their support for the athletes.

“This kind gesture will help me to give my all in the future while competing for Nigeria. With alot of competitions ahead and also with age on my side, I know the sky is just the starting point for me,” concludes Adegoke who won the 100m final at the 20th National Sports Festival in Benin City.