Eleven-year-old Stephanie Onusiriuka has continued the amazing trend of Success for Nigerian female athletes and has been rewarded for her Gold Medal at the African Junior Gymnastics Championship, in Pretoria, South Africa by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.
She joins the growing list of Nigerian female athletes such as Asisat Oshoala, Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Rasheedat Ajibade among others who are making the country proud.
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It will be recalled that Air Peace recently rewarded her with N1 million and free flight tickets to all Air Peace destinations for trainings and competitions for her performance at the championship.
The teenage sensation, Stephanie, started professional gymnastics with TIG Gymnastics at the National Stadium, Abuja, in October 2018 and participated at the 8th Edition TIG International Level System Gymnastics Championship Competition.
Stephanie will compete in the 2024 Olympic Games, which are scheduled to be held in France. If it weren’t for her age, Stephanie could have represented Nigeria at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Her ambition is to compete with world athletes. She is very enthusiastic to show the world her talents.
The gymnast was rewarded with a sum of N250,000 and a letter of commendation by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare for her exploit.
The Minister made the presentation on Thursday in his office in Abuja, when Stephanie and her coach and Mother, Mrs Amaka Onusiriuka paid him a courtesy visit while describing her as a true ambassador of sports in this country.
“The Ministry has been monitoring the performance and progress of the eleven-year-old African Champion Gymnast ever since she participated at the National Youth Games, Ilorin in 2019 where she won a Bronze medal.
“The Ministry was also following your performance during the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival. You won 1 Gold medal, 2 Silver medals and 1 Bronze medal, and you were adjudged to be the second best all-around Gymnast,” he said.
The mother and coach of the promising young gymnast, Mrs Amaka Onusiriuka, said that Stephanie practices at home every day and in the stadium every Sunday from morning to evening.
She further disclosed that the teen has another championship at Liverpool in October and a training tour in Japan where she intends to do the nation proud again.
