Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) president, Engineer Habu Ahmed Gumel has raised a huge air of optimism that the country’s contingent will shine in Tokyo, Japan, as he reckons they have toiled day and night to bring glory back home.
Speaking against the backdrop of the departure of the last batch of Nigerian athletes for the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in The Land of The Rising Sun, Gumel reckoned that Nigeria should get a sweet tale to tell due to hard work put into training by the contingent.
Megasportsarena.com reports that this much was disclosed by NOC press officer, Phemmy Adetula, who added that Gumel also urged the Nigerian athletes to ensure they compete clean and also come back with clean medals.
Team Nigeria will hope to better their last outing at the Olympics in Rio in 2016 where they came back with just one bronze medal, which was won in the football event by the under-23 team captained by John Mikel Obi.
Nigeria has registered 58 athletes that will compete in nine sports at the Olympic Games starting this Friday until August 8, and Adetula revealed in a press release that the contingent has been boosted to succeed.
He added that Gumel, on his arrival at Narita Airport in Tokyo on Sunday, urged the Nigerian athletes to be worthy ambassadors of the country.
The NOC boss acknowledged the working relationship and understanding of sports minister, Sunday Dare, a partnership that he believes has spurred the athletes for a wonderful outing here in Japan.
Gumel stressed: “I have to congratulate every athlete representing Nigeria at this games. They are our worthy ambassadors who have toiled day and night to bring glory to our great country.
“As you are representing Nigeria, you are representing yourselves and your families as well. So, it’s very important that you represent well.
“Your where about before, during and after the games is key to us as Nigeria Olympic Committee and we implore you to stay clean and win clean medals.”
