Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Minister Targets Podium Finish

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Minister Targets Podium Finish By Sampson Adedeji Few weeks to the start of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Sunday is already setting his eyes on the podium for Nigeria athletes, BSNSports.com.ng can reports The country's athletes both home and abroad in the past few days have been competing for the only slot in the national trial staged at the Yaba Technology stadium, Lagos. Athletes like Blessing Okagbare and Tobi Amusan created a new record which gives every Nigerian the hope of a podium return for the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Minister said he has been following the athletes and that their commitment and dedication indicated their readiness for a podium finish. "I was with them at the African Games in September 2019 and with them briefly in Texas, and now in Lagos. I see a team that is professional, talented and thirst for podium performance." "We've seen good results, consistency and personal best. As for relays you know is always a big challenge but then we've qualified for the 4×100 women, we have also seen performances today and we hope that by Thursday we should be there." "My confidence as a sports minister can only be measure by confidence and performances of these athletes." "When you compare them to the athletes in their categories and when you see the ranking of Blessing Okagbare, Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan etc you will see that we really have a window of opportunity this time around." "We are going to go to Olympics, we will show and we will compete for a podium performance," he added. The first and the last time Nigeria athletes won gold at the Olympic was in Atlanta 1996 through Chioma Ajunwa (Long Jump) Dream Team (Football).