The performance of your country in a recent international sports competition has generated a lot of comments. Write a letter to the editor of one of your national newspapers discussing the factors responsible for the level of performance and the lessons t hat should be learnt.

PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIAN SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN AT THE LAST OLYMPIC GAMES.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria had her best outing in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. Of course, the whole world  turned its attention  towards the success story of the world. They walloped Brazil and Argentina in the semi-final and final respectively. Also, for the first time in the history of Olympic Games Nigeria won gold, silver and bronze medals in many field and track events. It is now on  record that Nigeria is not only a force to be reckoned within international sports but that she has come of age. Many factors largely contributed to the success story of Nigeria.

Firstly, availability of equipment and materials needed for training by foreign-based athletes. Most of the medals won were by foreign based professional sportsmen and women. They were those based in USA, Italy, Germany, Britain and other European countries where training facilities are at their best. Thee was no single locally-trained athlete that won any individual medal.

Secondly, the successes of Nigerian athletes were made possible due to  technical expertise of foreign coaches and technical advisers in various sports. The foreign coaches and technical advisers are better exposed than their local counterparts to modern  techniques in coaching. The foreign-based coaches also have better and modern facilities to train athletes than their local counterparts who rely solely on out-modeled techniques and facilities.

Thirdly, Nigeria recorded her victory at the last Olympics due to large number of able athletes. Nigeria is thickly populated, so there are good number of sportsmen and women who were discovered during national and international competitions prior to the actual Olympic Games. The sound preparations availed the country to field her best during the competitions.

Nigerians learnt a lot of lessons from the last Olympic Games. Topmost of them is that sound preparation is the main key to success in international sporting engagements and this is best realized through availability of technical know how such as qualified, dedicated and exposed coaches and technical advisers. We have how know that it is high time we had ultra modern stadium with modern equipment and facilities to train our athletes locally.

Also, we have learnt that no country  in the word, no matter how powerful, has absolute monopoly of sports. The countries which in the past were regarded as unbeatable in some sports were not only beaten put disgraced by Nigeria. Moreover, Nigerians have learnt that dedication and will-power are needed to achieve excellence in sport and not necessarily extravagant spending to entertain or lure athletes.

In conclusion, there is no doubt in my mind that our leaders will learn a great deal from the last Olympic Games, in terms of sound preparation, availability of experienced and tested coaches, provision of standard stadium with training facilities and organization of local and international meets in games and sports. If well done and the suggestions adhered to, Nigeria has come of age to lead the world in international sporting activities.