Nigeria at the 2018 Winter Olympics
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{good article}}
{{infobox country at games
| NOC = NGR
| NOCname = Nigeria Olympic Committee
| games = Winter Olympics
| year = 2018
| flagcaption =
| oldcode =
| website =
| location = Pyeongchang, South Korea
| date = February 9–25, 2018
| competitors = 4
| sports = 2
| flagbearer = Ngozi Onwumere (opening)
| rank =
| gold = 0
| silver = 0
| bronze = 0
| officials =
| appearances = auto
| app_begin_year =
| app_end_year =
| summerappearances =
| winterappearances =
| seealso =
}}
Nigeria sent a delegation to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea from 9–25 February 2018. This marked the debut for the country at the Winter Olympics. The delegation consisted of three bobsledders, who finished 19th in the two-woman competition, and skeleton racer Simidele Adeagbo who came in 20th in the women's event.
Background
Nigeria first participated in the Summer Olympic Games in the 1952 Helsinki Games,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/NGR/|title=Nigeria|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903080744/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/NGR/|archive-date=3 September 2017|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} but this was the nation's debut appearance at a Winter Olympic Games.{{cite news|title=Winter Olympics 2018: African athletes to make history in Pyeongchang|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/42694188|work=BBC News|location=London, United Kingdom|date=15 January 2018|access-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115232023/http://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/42694188|archive-date=15 January 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The chef de mission for the Nigerian contingent was Gbenga Elegbeleye and Dr David Olusoga Ogbolu.{{cite news |url= https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/buhari-host-nigeria-bobsled-team-korea-games/ |title= Buhari to host Nigeria Bobsled team after Korea Games |author= Jacob Ajom |date= 5 February 2018 |publisher= Vanguard Nigeria }} The Nigerian delegation to Pyeongchang consisted of four women: bobsledders Seun Adigun, Akuoma Omeoga, and
Ngozi Onwumere, and skeleton racer Simidele Adeagbo.{{cite web|url=https://time.com/5142773/nigerian-bobsled-team-opening-ceremony-winter-olympics-2018/|title=Nigeria's First Bobsled Team Arrives at the Opening Ceremony|last=Calfas|first=Jennifer|date=10 February 2018|work=Time|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211001035/http://time.com/5142773/nigerian-bobsled-team-opening-ceremony-winter-olympics-2018/|archive-date=11 February 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} Onwumere was chosen as the flag bearer for the parade of nations during the opening ceremony, and Adeagbo was selected to carry the flag for the closing ceremony.{{cite web|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Games/Winter-Games/Games-PyeongChang-2018-Winter-Olympic-Games/Ceremonies/PyeongChang-2018-Closing-Ceremony-Flag-Bearers.pdf#_ga=2.113408207.917758768.1519568732-1155673656.1518304175|title=Closing Ceremony Flagbearers – Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang 2018|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=19 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419194641/https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Games/Winter-Games/Games-PyeongChang-2018-Winter-Olympic-Games/Ceremonies/PyeongChang-2018-Closing-Ceremony-Flag-Bearers.pdf#_ga=2.113408207.917758768.1519568732-1155673656.1518304175|archive-date=19 April 2018|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Games/Winter-Games/Games-PyeongChang-2018-Winter-Olympic-Games/Ceremonies/PyeongChang-2018-Opening-Ceremony-Flagbearers.pdf#_ga=2.141341425.2132925313.1518270684-1570468165.1518270684|title=Opening Ceremony Flagbearers – Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang 2018|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=19 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228001620/https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Games/Winter-Games/Games-PyeongChang-2018-Winter-Olympic-Games/Ceremonies/PyeongChang-2018-Opening-Ceremony-Flagbearers.pdf#_ga=2.141341425.2132925313.1518270684-1570468165.1518270684|archive-date=28 February 2018|df=dmy-all}}
Bobsleigh
{{main|Bobsleigh at the 2018 Winter Olympics|Bobsleigh at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Qualification}}
Nigeria qualified a team of three athletes in the two-women bobsleigh competition through the quota for continental representation.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibsf.org/images/documents/downloads/Quotas/2017_18/Quota_allocation_IBSF_RANKING_Womens_Bobsleigh_14_01_2018.pdf|title=Quota Allocation PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games 2018 – Women´s Bobsleigh – IBSF 14 January 2018|date=15 January 2018|website=www.ibsf.org|publisher=International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF)|access-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116124400/http://www.ibsf.org/images/documents/downloads/Quotas/2017_18/Quota_allocation_IBSF_RANKING_Womens_Bobsleigh_14_01_2018.pdf|archive-date=16 January 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} Seun Adigun was the driver of the sled, while Akuoma Omeoga and Ngozi Onwumere served as breakwomen, only one of which could be in the sled at a time. All three were former track and field athletes,{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/31/africa/nigeria-bobsled-team-winter-olympics/index.html|title=Nigerian bobsled team to make Winter Olympic history in PyeongChang|last=Cohan|first=Michelle|date=31 January 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319185219/https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/31/africa/nigeria-bobsled-team-winter-olympics/index.html|archive-date=19 March 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} and all were born in the United States.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/sports/olympics/nigeria-bobsled.html|title=Bobsled Team Represents Nigeria Loosely, but Women Truly|last1=Rich|first1=Motoko|last2=Akinwotu|first2=Emmanuel|date=17 February 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411113256/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/sports/olympics/nigeria-bobsled.html|archive-date=11 April 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} Adigun participated in all four runs, while Omeoga participated in the first two runs, and Onwumere in the last two runs.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/skiing/winter/2018/results/_/discipline/32/event/50|title=2018 Winter Olympics Results|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802214417/http://www.espn.co.uk/skiing/winter/2018/results/_/discipline/32/event/50|archive-date=2 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} On 20 February, the first two heats were held, and the Nigerian sled posted times of 52.21 seconds and 52.55 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-bobsleigh-women-results/update-1-olympics-bobsleigh-womens-competition-overall-results-idUSISS909325|title=Olympics-Bobsleigh-Women's Competition overall results|date=21 February 2018|publisher=Reuters|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527023558/https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-bobsleigh-women-results/update-1-olympics-bobsleigh-womens-competition-overall-results-idUSISS909325|archive-date=27 May 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} After the first two heats, they were roughly 3.5 seconds behind the leader.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2018/02/20/nigeria-bobdlsed-team-africa-winter-olympics-pyeongchang/354386002/|title=Winter Olympics 2018: Nigerian bobsled team shows possibility is prize|last=Armour|first=Nancy|date=20 February 2018|work=USA Today|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802214417/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2018/02/20/nigeria-bobdlsed-team-africa-winter-olympics-pyeongchang/354386002/|archive-date=2 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The next day, in the third and fourth runs, their times were 52.31 seconds and 52.53 seconds respectively. Their final time was 3 minutes and 29.60 seconds, which placed them 19th (after one sled from the Olympic Athletes from Russia was disqualified for doping).{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/bobsleigh/womens-bobsleigh|title=PyeongChang Women's bobleigh women|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802214417/https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/bobsleigh/womens-bobsleigh|archive-date=2 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event !colspan="2"|Run 1 !colspan="2"|Run 2 !colspan="2"|Run 3 !colspan="2"|Run 4 !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| style="font-size:95%"
!Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank |
| align=center
|align=left|Seun Adigun* |align=left|Two-woman |52.21 |19 |52.55 |19 |52.31 |19 |52.53 |19 |3:29.60 |19 |
Skeleton
{{main article|Skeleton at the 2018 Winter Olympics|Skeleton at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Qualification}}
Nigeria qualified one female skeleton athlete through the quota for continental representation.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibsf.org/images/documents/downloads/Quotas/2017_18/Quota_allocation_IBSF_RANKING_Women_Skeleton_14_01_2018.pdf|title=Quota Allocation PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games 2018 – Women's Skeleton – IBSF 14 January 2018|date=15 January 2018|website=www.ibsf.org|publisher=International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF)|access-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116124919/http://www.ibsf.org/images/documents/downloads/Quotas/2017_18/Quota_allocation_IBSF_RANKING_Women_Skeleton_14_01_2018.pdf|archive-date=16 January 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} Simidele Adeagbo is a Canadian native who spent her childhood in Nigeria.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/16/simidele-adeagbo-skeleton-nigeria-winter-games-history|title=Olympics 2018: Nigeria's Simidele Adeagbo makes history|last=Goldich|first=Mitch|date=16 February 2018|work=Sports Illustrated|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612232954/https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/16/simidele-adeagbo-skeleton-nigeria-winter-games-history|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} She went to university in the United States at the University of Kentucky, where she was part of the track and field team.{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/national/simidele-adeagbo-makes-history-winter-olympics/ogXVBS7m9jrGiKyQ7odadN/|title=Simidele Adeagbo makes history at Winter Olympics|last=Mussatto|first=Joe|date=18 February 2018|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=2 August 2018}} She only took up skeleton racing in September 2017. Adeagbo is the first female athlete representing an African country to compete in skeleton, and she was 36 years old at the time of the Pyeongchang Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/sport/nigeria-winter-olympics-skeleton-simi-adeagbo/index.html|title=PyeongChang Winter Olympics: Simi Adeagbo slides for Nigeria|last=Young|first=Henry|date=14 February 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616103804/https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/sport/nigeria-winter-olympics-skeleton-simi-adeagbo/index.html|archive-date=16 June 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} On 16 February, she posted run times of 54.19 seconds and 54.58 seconds, making her first day combined time 1 minute and 48.77 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-skeleton-women-results/update-1-olympics-skeleton-womens-individual-overall-results-idUSISS789209|title=UPDATE 1-Olympics-Skeleton-Women's individual overall results|date=16 February 2018|publisher=Reuters|access-date=2 August 2018}} The next day, on her third run, she finished in a time of 53.73 seconds, and her fourth run was completed in 54.28 seconds.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/winter/2018/results/_/event/26/discipline/54|title=2018 Winter Olympics Results – Women's Skeleton|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802214417/http://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/winter/2018/results/_/event/26/discipline/54|archive-date=2 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} After four runs, her final time was 3 minutes and 36.78 seconds, which put her in 20th place.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/skeleton/women|title=PyeongChang Individual women – Olympic Skeleton|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802214417/https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018/skeleton/women|archive-date=2 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" |
| rowspan="2"|Athlete
!rowspan="2"|Event !colspan="2"|Run 1 !colspan="2"|Run 2 !colspan="2"|Run 3 !colspan="2"|Run 4 !colspan="2"|Total |
|---|
| style="font-size:95%"
!Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank !Time !Rank |
| align=center
|align=left|Simidele Adeagbo |align=left|Women's |54.19 |20 |54.58 |20 |53.73 |20 |54.28 |20 |3:36.78 |20 |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Nations at the 2018 Winter Olympics}}
{{Country at games navbox|Nigeria|Olympics|below=Nigeria competed as the British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria from 1952 to 1960}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nigeria At The 2018 Winter Olympics}}