Lets Plan Ahead of 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Chika

Here is the full text of Captain Team Nigeria to the London 2012 Olympic Games,Chika Chukwumerije on the poor outing of the Nigerian team to the Games.

Ten years ago [2002 to be exact], I was 18 when I won the National Sports Festival. By the next year, I had broken into the National team. We are in 2012, and for the past 9 years, I have given EVERYTHING to a sport I love and a dream that was formed in 2000 when I was just 16. And I mean EVERYTHING – time, money, my academic ambitions, my social life, and my whole physical, emotional, and psychological being. EVERYTHING… but I do not regret a single day of it. If I could re-live the past 10 years, I would do it all over again.

 So first of all, I wish to give glory to the Almighty who has given me good health, strength, and wisdom in the past decade.

 Next, my gratitude goes to my family, whose steadfast support, love, advice, and encouragement has been invaluable since my childhood days.

A big thank you to my dear friends, colleagues, fans and millions of Nigerians (young and old) who tuned into my Olympic dream over the past 4 years.

 I want to thank the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Sports Commission, The Senate, and the Abia State Government for their full support in various ways. I specially want to thank the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Chief Patrick Ekeji, for listening to the vision of a 22-year old Nigerian that walked into his office 6 YEARS AGO full of detailed plans and big dreams.

I would also like to Barrister Waheed Oshodi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youths & Sports Development for providing this meeting point, practically free of charge. I wish you and the entire Lagos State Government success as you countdown to receiving the entire Nation for the National Sports Festival.

Finally, Special Thanks MUST go to members of the press corps for their steadfast support and faith in my clear aspirations over the past 5 years, and hopefully, going into the next decade. You, ladies and gentlemen of the press, have been fantastic. Thank you so much.

The pain of the London 2012 Olympics is still fresh on our minds. I am deeply hurt by the results, and so are a 160 million Nigerians. There are no excuses to be given, no blames to be shared, and no escape from trauma of dashed hopes.  The hurt is REAL, and like when one loses a loved one, we naturally ask questions in our state of anguish, as we seek to come to terms with harsh reality.

I understand, perhaps more than most, that scorching National pain we all feel, Yet AT THIS PERIOD, more than ever, we must come together as one and share this collective pain as ONE NIGERIA, ONE COUNTRY, ONE PEOPLE… just as we came together and shared the joy of two Atlanta Olympic Gold Medals… just as we came together and shared the joy of Blessing Okagbare jumping to a Bronze in Beijing 2008 … just as we erupted with joy when the news filtered in that the Sydney 2000 Olympic Silver won by the late Sunday Bada-led 400m Relay Team has been justly upgraded to an Olympic Gold medal.

Now, we must also come together to share a feeling, which seems very unpalatable to digest.

 YES! … Just as we rejoiced when our U-20 women thrashed Italy 4-0 last weekend, we must also learn to share the pains when the Falcons were unsuccessful in qualifying for the London 2012 Olympics.

 Joy and Sorrow are two parts of one coin, and holding that coin together as ONE PEOPLE ONE NATION will help us heal better, and plan for a better tomorrow.

 As Thomas Jefferson said, “it is amazing what we could accomplish if we do not care who gets the credit”. IN NIGERIA’S CASE, I would also add that “it would be amazing what we WOULD accomplish if we do not care who gets the blame”.

 I love my sport, and I have never cared much about who gets the credit for my victories, or the blame for my defeats. I never lingered and complained for ages about training on Coal-tar surfaces or kicking tree branches as targets, while my opponents on the world stage had the most enviable infrastructure to train in.

But over the past 12 years, I made very slow but positive progress because all I cared about was just accomplishing something great for myself and Country, rather than the circumstances around me.

I am disheartened that my results fell short of the high expectations Nigerians rightly had of me and perhaps, a number of my team mates.  I make no excuses for the results.

But I AM NOT SORRY for the 4 years I trained hard for the Olympics. I am not sorry that I put in 100% in the past 3 Olympics representing this country. I am not sorry for the amount of hard work and planning that went into my preparations.

I trained long and hard for London 2012 using a program initiated in 2005. The same program saw me conquer Africa and win a Gold medal in the 2007 All Africa Games. The program saw me clinch an Olympic Bronze medal at the  Beijing 2008 Olympics. That same program helped me win a Silver medal in the 2011 All Africa Games, and Qualified me for the London 2012 Olympics. I had the Olympics on my mind for 4 long years, and I was ready for it. I prepared well, and on that, I ran into sheer hard luck. I commend and congratulate my Cuban Opponent, Robelis Despaigne, for his victory. We both played a good game and fought a good fight, but in the end, only one can come out on top. He did – this is Sports!

4 years of having the Olympics on my mind, 4 years of putting my career on hold, 4 years of emotional and psychological rollercoasters. Surely, no one can feel the hurt greater or longer than I do. But as the Bible says “there are many plans in the heart of man, but the Lord’s counsel, that will stand”. I can say I did EVERYTHING that should be done, that could be done, and I gave my ALL to my country.

Now, we must put the past behind us, and not dwell on WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN, Rather, let us look to the future and say NEVER AGAIN.  London 2012 has become a part of our collective history, and as a great man once said “the past makes us who we are, we must not make it our burden”.

I HAVE A VISION. I can see the future. I can see what I want the future to be for all young and aspiring Nigerian athletes…AND I BELIEVE IN THAT FUTURE. Thomas Jefferson once said, “I LIKE DREAMS OF THE FUTURE RATHER THAN ON THE HISTORY OF THE PAST.” My dear friends, family and fellow Nigerians, we must have the strength to stand up and KEEP WALKING.

On this note, I would like to thank you all for the time you have taken to listen to me. May the Almighty bless you all.