After Seun Adigun ran his last race at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he told himself his competitive career was over. But for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to tell the world about it.
Three years later, she realized: Rather than retiring, Adigun is preparing for a new sport. And her years competing in the 100-meter hurdles were great preparation for what’s next.
“Speed, power and strength were all you needed to be a successful bobsledder,” she said.
Adigun quickly persuaded fellow former runners Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga to join the team as brakemen. But they’re not just newbies to the sport.
Next month, the trio will represent Nigeria in forming Nigeria’s first bobsled team at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The team is also the first of its kind for the entire continent of Africa, for both men and women.
Yes, they compare it to Cool Runnings, the 1993 film based on the true story of Jamaica’s first men’s bobsled team, which competed in the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Canada, and say it’s a tradition they cherish and a successor they want to emulate.
But the spirited pioneers, all of whom were born in the United States and whose parents immigrated from Nigeria, said they also look forward to expressing positive stories about their homeland.
“Nigerians are very excited to see their country represented,” said Adigun, a Chicago native who represented Nigeria as a three-time national track and field champion. “I realized exactly what the void was for the representation of women in the country of Nigeria, on the African continent, and in general for women.”
Onwumere agreed, adding: “I think being the first to do something is something you can’t really explain.”
Their story will take on even more meaning next month following President Trump’s recent comments about “(scatological slur) countries” in Africa.
Their trip to Korea was also quick. Three years ago, the team was just an idea, and it’s been a “crazy but amazing journey,” said Adigun, a driver with both role and personality who also helped scout and coach Onwumere, a Dallas native, at his alma mater, the University of Houston.
Once her teammates participated, official Olympic rules required them to operate under a national governing body. Nothing existed.
The Nigerian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation was established. A GoFund Me campaign was created in 2016, and the team raised more than $75,000 in 14 months to pay for things like helmets, uniforms, travel and their first sled (a wooden boat affectionately named “The Mayflower”). They began practicing in snowless Houston.
The team’s popularity quickly attracted Visa and Under Armor as sponsors. To qualify for the Winter Olympics, the women had to complete five races. They achieved their goal in November.
In the process, their energy and enthusiasm attracted attention in the United States and Nigeria. In December, they appeared on “The Ellen Show,” and last week, tennis icon Serena Williams retweeted an Under Armor Olympic ad.
The team said they are looking forward to entering the Pyeongchang arena next month and are working hard to be competitive as newcomers among talented and experienced bobsledders. Their main goal is to be a role model for women in their country and in the sports world.
Omeoga, who ran track and field at the University of Minnesota, said winning a medal was out of the question.
“In fact, it hasn’t even crossed my mind yet,” she said. “I just take things one day at a time. Don’t get too far ahead, don’t put too much off, and don’t underestimate yourself in anything.”
This story was reported by the Associated Press.
