PARIS 2024: Nigerian cyclist's borrowed bike takes the internet by storm

The story of Nigerian cyclist Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye borrowing a bike from the German team during the 2024 Paris Olympics has taken the internet by storm. This incident has brought attention to the ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian athletes at the Olympics, from missed opportunities to a lack of essential equipment.

Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye, a road and track cyclist who rides for Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), found herself in an unexpected situation during the Keirin and Sprint events. Despite her late call-up, she lacked the necessary equipment and had to borrow a racing bike from the German team. This situation has sparked a heated debate on social media about Nigeria’s preparedness for the Olympics, with many questioning the country's commitment to its athletes.

Special thanks 🙌 to the German track team for providing @Ese_Ukpeseraye with a track bike after she received a late call up for the Keirin and Sprint events at #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/xUj2LX7wzg

— CANYON//SRAM Racing & CANYON//SRAM Generation (@WMNcycling) August 7, 2024

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, explained that the need for specialised equipment arose after another team’s disqualification led to Nigeria’s last-minute entry into the event. He stated that purchasing such equipment would have taken months, leaving Ukpeseraye with no choice but to borrow the bike. Despite the Minister’s explanation on social media, the incident has raised concerns about the support Nigerian athletes receive.

Ese’s story is not an isolated incident. Nigerian athletes have faced significant setbacks at the Paris Olympics. Hammer thrower Annette Echikunwoke, who now competes for the United States, is one such athlete. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she was set to represent Nigeria but was disqualified due to the negligence of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), which failed to comply with drug-testing requirements. This led to her switching allegiance to the United States, where she recently won a silver medal in Paris.

Similarly, sprinter Favour Ofili, who competes in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay races, experienced her own Olympic heartbreak. Despite qualifying for Tokyo 2020, she was ruled out due to the AFN’s failure to meet drug-testing requirements. In Paris, she faced another setback when the AFN failed to register her for the 100m race in time. Despite this, Ofili delivered a strong performance in the 200m, finishing 6th in her Olympic final debut.