abuja - National Sports Commission (NSC) Director of Sports Development, Dr. Patrick Ekeji has defended special sports athlete, Adesoji Adekunle, after the partially sighted sprinter slumped to a silver medal in the 100 meters event of the Beijing 2008 Paralympics Games.
Ekeji said Thursday during a live telephone interview on Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FM that, although the development was a bit disappointing, Adekunle still needs to be eulogized.
The member of Nigeria’s Nations Cup 1980-winning squad argued that any silver medal achievement in a competition of that magnitude is encouraging.
“A silver medal in Paralympics is not a mean feat.
We had anticipated a gold medal but unfortunately he only trailed the American, we should note that he was the man to beat going into the competition.
“In any case, his record is still intact. This is because the time with which this edition is won is no where near the time Adesoji returned in Athens four years ago.
“He too felt bad that he could not win gold again, but he has to take heart.
These things happen in sports and we are happy he got something, silver is not too bad,” Ekeji said.
The ex-international went on to play down the eight gold medals projections of Nigerian sports lovers, but said there is no point counting chicks before they are hatched.
He, however, enthused that the officials are confident that the athletes will prove their mettle by going on to amass as many medals as possible at the ongoing Games.
“Paralympics Games to the disabled body is as important as the Olympic games to the able body so a gold, silver or bronze medal in either of the Olympics as far as I am concern is a great achievement.
“You are competing with the best in the world who are coming from an environment better your own but our athletes want to excel and we will see how far we can go at the end of the day,” said Ekeji.
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