Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye has revealed that she had to borrow a bicycle from her German counterpart to compete in the Keirin and Sprint events at the 2024 Olympics.
Taking to her X page, Ukpeseraye revealed that the short notice given to her left her without a bicycle to race with on the tracks.
In a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, the German team came to her rescue and offered her a bicycle.
“Due to the short notice of me competing at the Keirin & Sprint, #teamNigeria I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks”, Ukpeseraye wrote on X on Thursday, August 8.
“In the spirit of sportsmanship, the German team @bunddeutscherradfahr came to my rescue by offering me a bicycle.
“Thank you.”
This incident followed another setback for Nigerian athletes, as Favour Ofili was initially not registered for the 100m women’s sprint, leading her to participate only in the 200m event where she finished in sixth place in the final.
The 2024 Olympics also saw Nigeria’s struggle to clinch medals, with Folashade Rafiatu Lawal narrowly missing out on a podium finish in the women’s 59kg weightlifting event, finishing in fifth position.
Recall that Nigeria’s 4x100m relay women’s and men’s teams failed to advance into the finals.
Furthermore, Nigerian wrestlers and runners also faced challenges, with Odunayo Adekuroye losing in the quarter-finals and Esose Ibadin falling short of qualifying for the men’s 800m final.
