2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medalist, Engineer Chika Chukwumerije has pointed out ways for Team Nigeria to have podium finishes in future Olympic games.
In a statement marking his 13th anniversary as an Olympics medalist, the burly Chukwumerije stated that he went through a lot to reach the pinnacle of his game.
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“The journey was more difficult because a nation did not see my abilities or my capacity, nor have a system or infrastructure that could identify and develop my potential,” he noted,
The 2007 Algiers All Africa Games gold winner in taekwondo however urged sports administrators to provide robust allowances, sports scholarships, quality kitting, as well as provisions for housing and feeding for athletes, if they want them to win medals for Nigeria in tournaments.
He said training support should be provided for personnel that develop the athlete holistically as well as provision of well-equipped training facilities.
Chika also observed that athletes should be exposed to state, national and international competitions and be given awards and remunerations at various stages of career development.
He pointed out that there should be post-career support and guidance, and transforming aging and former athletes into fresh and energetic sports support personnel.
“Building Champions is so easy, yet so difficult because it requires us to do the simple things consistently over many decades.
“We must stop pretending to invest’ in our future and ‘start investing’ in our future. Raising quality athletes takes time, effort and resources; and must not have a price tag to it,” he stated.
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