Nigeria’s Track Star, Oludamola Osayomi Reels...


How would rate your performances in the outgone year?
I’m very grateful to God for a wonderful season. I had a very successful and excellent year 2011. I look forward to doing greater things this year by the special grace of God. The year is filled with lots of competitions lined up for me but I plan to select my programmes carefully and  get ready for the big one later this year.

 The year 2012 is packed with series of athletic programmes, ranging from IAAF Diamond League to the long list of meets in Europe. How do you intend to schedule your programmes to  avoid getting burnt out before the Olympics?
I have a very strong determination for the year. Right now, I just want stay focused on my training, work hard, and stay healthy. I’m looking forward to an excellent performance this year. The challenges will be tough but I will surely be ready to give my best to my dear country as I have always done in the past and pray the Almighty crowns my effort with success. The year promises to be a great one by all standards, but it is important one gets ready for what it’s going to offer. Like I said I’m going to keep focusing on my training so as to remain in top shape for the challenges ahead.

The sudden death of Sunday Bada  must have hit you like a tornado. How did you receive the sad news of his demise given his influence on your career while alive
My heart bled bitterly when I heard the news. Sunday Bada’s demise was very shocking and painful. I never taught of him dying so soon because he had given a lot into Nigeria’s sports especially in the area of athletics. We will surely miss him, his kind of person is very rare. I know the many changes he  brought into athletics since he became the Technical Director of AFN. It just beats my imagination why such a fellow would die at a time his services and wealth of experiences are  much needed by his country. His death is a fatal blow to the country and the federation, I was looking forward to see him in the federation for such a long time, and hence my finding it hard to believe  when the sad news of his death was broken to me. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.

  How well did you know Sunday Bada before his death?
I knew uncle Bada well enough. He was a great man, a wonderful brother to me, an inspiration and mentor to me in track and field. He was a very generous man, down to earth in nature and very friendly. He always encouraged me even when things were not really going well. He stood by me last year during those trying periods of my career, he told me that I have it in me and I can still do it,  that is, achieve success in my career. During the All Africa Games in Maputo,Mozambique, he encouraged me and helped prepare me mentally for my race. Where do you want to find that kind of person? This is a fatal blow to Nigeria and athletics generally and it will be extremely difficult to carry on without him. He touched the lives of everyone around him and I can’t imagine how sad the federation and other athletes felt  when the sad news got to them.

 What adverse effect do you think his demise would have on Athletics at a time Nigeria is looking forward to competing with the Jamaicans on the track?
 He was an icon who will be greatly missed in Nigerian athletics. He had  the desire to move athletics forward through his hard work and encouragement to athletes. He had what it takes to move Nigeria to the next level but death  shortened his life and he died with those great dreams and ideas. Uncle Bada was more than a brother to every athlete who really intends to succeed. He gave us a reason to run and always assured us that the future is bright as long as we work extremely hard . We will miss him a great deal. Sometimes you wonder why the good ones don’t really last  and be around us for as long as we want them. Nigeria has lost an icon and it will really take time to fill the vacuum he left behind.

What challenges have you been facing in your efforts to be the African queen of  track?
Life is full of challenges, one way or the other we all face issues in life. I have faced a lot of challenges as an athlete both on and off  the track. Starting with a series of financial challenges to move on to the next level in my athletics career, coupled with long term injuries that nearly ruined  my career as an athlete. In all of these trials, I had the chance to sink or remain afloat but it  took divine intervention to remain afloat as I battled through the issues of my life in the track in 2010. The drug case of 2010 almost ruined my career, I thought it was all over for me in track, all hope was gone then and I almost gave up athletics. I almost lost passion for track at that point as well but glory be to God who revived me. My special thanks goes  to people like late Sunday Bada who God used to encourage me and bring me back to the sport. God used people around me to talk me into believing that all was not lost despite those allegations, that made me believe that my athletics career was not over yet.

Do you think the current crop of athletes will ever surpass the success stories  of Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya?
 I respect Mary Onyali and Falilat Ogunkoya a lot because of what they brought into athletics. There would not be any of us today without these two great women of the track. They both have tremendous success stories in track that are not easy to surpass. It will be difficult to surpass Onyali and Falilat’s success stories. They were great athletes of their time. However, the future of the sports is bright  in Nigeria and I see those achievements being equaled if not surpassed. I still believe an athlete will surpass those achievements one day, given hard work and determination.

 Okagbare was recently offered financial grant ahead of London Olympics. Did you get any?
Unto God!
Perhaps AFN feel  Okagbare seems to have a better chance of winning a medal at the Games, hence her getting the grant. Does that makes you more determined to prove your critics wrong?
I am and will always be determined to improve on my performance in the sprints,  no matter what goes on around me. Athletics is what I love to do and it is a sport I enjoy most, given the fame and joy the sport has brought me. I belong to the school of thought which believes every  athlete has a good chance of winning medals  at the Olympics Games no matter what, in as much as you prepare adequately well for the Games. We all  will train hard and believe in our abilities to win medals at the London Olympics. You stand a chance of winning medals once you get to the finals, Nigerians should not write us off in the London Olympics. No athlete trains to lose or wants to lose in any competition, no matter how small or big the competition may be.

 How bright are  Nigeria’s chances at the London Olympics?
Nigeria have a very big chance of winning medals at the Olympics game. However, it is left to the NSC, and AFN as well as the other sports federations in Nigeria to plan how they will execute their preparations for the games, how well they prepare and support their athletes financially to enable them train well and avoid being burnt out before the Olympics. The athletes really need adequate preparations if Nigeria is to make any appreciable impact in London Olympics. The so-called fire brigade approach to our preparations will not get us anywhere. The earlier they start giving grants to athletes, the better our chances at the Games.

 On a final note, there were reports recently that you are planning to get married to Olusoji Fasuba. How true is this report? If yes, how soon?
 Please, disregard that report, that was a rumour. Olusoji and I never dated not to talk of planning to get married. Please, please and please disregard that story, it is just a mere rumour. I will get married soon but not to Olusoji.

Thank you for talking to  Complete Sports Saturday.

You are welcome.