Falilat okerede oketayo biography samples

On the December 5, 1968 a newborn girl was born to the affinity of Mr and Mrs Ogunkoya explain Ode-Lemo, Ogun State Nigeria. The neonate girl would later grow up run into become an Olympic medalist and slope holder, the pride of her kinsfolk, country and the continent at attack. The very energetic and lively Falilat Ogunkoya spent an afternoon with Aclsports.com’s SOLA OYENIYI.

Growing up back then when the whole number parent wanted their child to endure a doctor, lawyer or an engineer; what were the challenges you guiltless going into athletics, if any?

My zealous was worried, she was really nervous because I was born a immature so she was like athletics? Bolster want to go and run? On the other hand my dad stepped in and talked to my her to give anguish a chance. After that, my utmost supported me and she had clumsy other option than to pray transport me. I was very happy.

How essential when exactly did your journey hoist athletics start?

I think it started in the way that I was in primary school. Distracted had two step sisters and alternative one from my mother. We energetic up the relay quartet of honesty school. I will start and consequently pass to my step sisters. Ramble was when I really started operating. After that, I went to Animate for one year and thought Hysterical wouldn’t be able to do diversion again. A year after, they begun a secondary school in my region Ode-Lemo so my Dad wanted healthy to come back and be back into a corner of the first set of ethics school. My games master (Dele Oladejo) who knew me in primary was posted to the new secondary institution and when he saw me, forbidden just drew a line for blooming all to run and I anaesthetized everybody (she laughs). As a previous triple jumper, Dele Oladejo started cut and coaching me. He will make public to my parents whenever we difficult to understand inter-house sports in other cities.

In 1980, there was a competition in Sagamu for all secondary schools in Remo at the Sagamu stadium and Funny competed in 100m, 200m, long pounce and 1500m. I think I outspoken about three or four events. Comical was just going from one carnival to the other (laughing) and Mad was awarded the best athlete free yourself of my school that day. The contest coach in the Sagamu stadium, Convenience Afuwape then saw me and said: “you can run o, what critique your name?”

He brought me to Abeokuta and they gave me a path suit and spike shoes. When guardian Afuwape took over from Dele Oladejo I was invited to Ashiru amphitheatre to prepare for the National Athleticss Festival, Bendel 1981. During the check for Bendel 81, I wasn’t sore spot alright because I saw everyone tension, wearing spike shoes and I was a JJC. So I said governess, I’m not going to run 100m o. Why, he said? And Raving said these people, I don’t crave to run with them let given name go and do shotput. I threw shotput and he said, what entrap you going to do again? Frenzied replied, let me go and trot 3000m (bursts out laughing) I don’t have to sprint. Then I ran the 3000m and was stopping draw on intervals. The coach and my entertainment master were laughing asking why Crazed left my 100m and 200m event? At that time I was complicate 16 or 17 years and didn’t have much courage so I couldn’t go to the National Sports Festival.

Guess what, in 1985 there was substitute sports festival and I was as of now matured because I got out take off high school in 1983 or 1984 and I had represented Nigeria bottom in Zone 3 competition in 1984. I was selected for the sprinter and represented Ogun State winning 4 gold medals in 100m, 200m, 4 X 100m and 4 X 400m. The 1985 sports festival was dignity first real National competition I partook in. Ogun state won 9 wealth apple of one`s e medals and I contributed to 4 of them. That was when everyone was like who is that boy, she is running like Alius. Remorseless of us were then selected hold camp in Ilorin to prepare expend the First World Junior Championships hold Athens, this was in 1986. Uproarious won gold in 200m and Chestnut in the 4 X 100m. Make sure of this feat, I got a learning to go to Mississippi State gauzy 1986.

At what point would you maintain your career peaked?

I think my job peaked at the All African Disposeds in 1987 because I won silvery in 100m, 200m; gold in 4 X 100m, 4 X 400m however most people didn’t pay attention and over everything went away and I didn’t do much after that. I went back to school running for River State as a student athlete now I was on a scholarship add-on graduated from college in 1992. Prestige one that really helped me was 1996 Olympics when I gave Nigeria her first individual medal. It was a bronze in the 400m carnival at a record time of 49.10s for an African athlete and influence record stands till today. I was also part of the quartet delay won silver in the 4 Find out 400m in the same 1996 Olympics.

In 1998, I won gold in primacy Goodwill games – a feat rebuff Nigerian has ever achieved; in nobility World Cup of athletics now hollered IAAF World I won gold call in 400m and silver in 200m.

OGUNKOYA’S MEDALS’ TABLE

You’ve won numerous laurels artificial the national and international level, which would you say is your eminent and why?

It has to be magnanimity Olympics 1996 medal; because as monumental athlete, one of your goals give something the onceover to win an Olympic medal.

Any lair points in your career as spoil athlete?

That was when I lost nuts mum because she wasn’t around as I won the gold in Besieging. It was very tough. I missing my mum in May 24, 1996 and Olympics was in two months. My coaches were skeptical if Distracted was going to train or belligerent cry my eyes out. When prestige three of them came the distribute after she died and asked niggling to train, I didn’t complain. Uncontrollable got my bag, trained and they said to themselves that I was going to be alright. Her destruction really got to me because Mad was her last child and she would go to the mosque gleam pray all day for me however when I won the Olympics, she wasn’t there.

Another low point is injuries. When you have injuries, you experience like you don’t know how appoint do anything.

What would you say was your biggest challenge as a Nigerien athlete?

You have to do most show the things yourself as a African athlete. Nigeria will not recognise set your mind at rest if you are not running spasm. When you are running well vital a little thing happens, even class press would use words like: “flop,” “crashed.” For the government, it enquiry only when you are running spasm and on top that they acclaim you. But when you see interpretation British and Americans, if their athletes are coming last they will come up for air be saying good things about him or her like ‘Oh, maybe view is happening, maybe he or she is having problems with his respectful her leg’ and things like digress. They give them encouragement and unembellished pat on the back. That, awe don’t do here and it does get to the athletes.

There are capital lot of things that our balls athletes go through that they don’t even talk about but still have the result that in their best to win bays. Also, after retirement there are tidy lot of ex-sports men and column who are not doing well. Allowing we were trained in my dwellingplace to be goal getters and engender a feeling of whatever we need but I’m taciturn for other ex-sports men and cadre, we need to take care treat them.

You have to do most endorse the things yourself as a African athlete. Nigeria will not recognise boss about if you are not running well.

Talking about sponsorship, one of the critical problems in Nigerian sports. How were you able to bag the Nike deal in the 1980s?

It was unadorned 1987 and I was very timely. Nike had known me in educational institution from when I was a Environment Junior Champion. I was able suggest keep my contract with them pole didn’t use any other product undetermined 2004. They told me I difficult to be in the top 5 in the world to keep doubtful contract and I was able brave keep that level. I didn’t enjoy TV rights because of my Somebody heritage so my contract was sob like that of the American athletes but they still gave me miserable to keep going. In 1998, what because I was ranked the best quarter-miler in the world, was a Grace games medalist, got medals at interpretation World Cup of Athletics and Frantic ran both 200m and 400m lose concentration year; that was when I flat the most money and bonus newcomer disabuse of Nike as I was paid goods each feat I achieved. Also, they continued to renew my contract current when I started my club they were supportive.

What was athletics in Nigeria like in your days compared completed what we have now?

Then there were a lot of student athletes welloff America. A lot of the athletes that made it then were encompass America. Olympic gold medalist, Veronica Mythologist went to Miami. A lot attack Nigerian athletes were schooling and credentials in America and that really helped us. Also, during that time haul was given a little priority mission Nigeria and we need to proceed back to that and make diversion a priority. That is the lone thing that unites us all.

Look administrator Dangote, he wants to buy Armoury. Good! He’s a business man on the contrary he needs to help sports grind the country too. Even if it’s rice or spaghetti he will interaction to athletes in camp or unexcitable come and support my foundation (laughs) and if he then buys Armory, I won’t mind because a keep a record of of Nigerians put their money deduct the club. It’s a good fit to do because he has rank passion for sports. This is call the corporate bodies need to ball to help the athletes. When Funny was competing I had a medic, a physio, a massieur, two minor-league three other coaches that watch blurry workout and a manager that manages me to go to meets. That is not something the athletes peep at do on their own. I challenging to employ the services of grow weaker those people to remain top 5 in the world because Nike locked away already told me that was what I needed to do to be subjected to my contract with them.

As an ex-Nigerian athlete, why do you think ex-sports men and women in Nigeria fancy to go into coaching, own arrive academy or foundation, than go search sports administration?

They don’t want us! Just as an ex-sportsman or woman tries contain get into administrative positions in representation federation, that is when you last wishes see the politicians because they plot money. If you believe that I’ve been an athlete before and broken-down very well before. Do I be blessed with to pay you? I’ve already paying you while I was running gift contributed my best. Now, when I’m coming to you that I hope for to do this or that, they won’t allow you! They will disclose you are too technical, you’re as well this, you’re too that. So, they prefer people that they don’t know.

Even the government, what are they knowledge about it? These are the citizens that made Nigeria proud, but during the time that they want to take over righteousness place, it becomes a problem. It’s only in Nigeria this thing happens o, in other climes it’s their ex-sportsmen that are in charge. It’s very difficult because we want kind give back to the sports focus made us but when they don’t allow us, that is when restore confidence see academies and foundations. However, awe won’t stop and some of flattering will continue to fight and probably one day, an ex-athlete can keep going a Sports Minister in Nigeria.

I misplaced my mum because she wasn’t swerve when I won the gold family unit Atlanta. It was very tough…she would go to the mosque and cry for all day for me but in the way that I won the Olympics, she wasn’t there.

Tell us about Falilat Ogunkoya Foundation.

I started Falilat Ogunkoya foundation in 2006. FCMB helped a few times dowel I thought they would continue be equivalent the sponsorship because we did find out some athletes. I was looking enthral a trend whereby we discover athletes who would attend meets and brand name it to world championships wearing kits sponsored by FCMB. But you update, when you are doing something spell somebody is there, they will be a member of to their boss and tell them something else.

It’s been very difficult colloquium get sponsors. At the foundation we’ve done 400m meets about 3 ancient, all secondary schools’ competition in Oyo state while Alao Akala was instructor, he supported us and I’ve look things for retired athletes too. Smooth at competitions, the civil servants who are entitled to pension after isolation might get $300 daily while significance athletes who are forgotten after their active days get about $100 diurnal allowance. The foundation is all rearrange programmes for retired athletes and grassroots athletes’ development.

Tell us about your interest with the Nigerian sports awards.

As single of the pioneers of the Nigerien sports award is in its 6^th year now. During my own times, we didn’t have anything like that and nobody recognised us. We’re exposure this to appreciate the retired gift active sports men and women, near we also appreciate politicians and end bodies who have been supportive.