"It hurts a lot when you know that you have the capacity to do better but because certain things are not right in our preparations for the Games, one then fails to meet set target. I don’t want to sound as if I am giving excuses for my inability to make the podium. What I am saying is that we should not go to the next Games in four years time in Tokyo, Japan and also be in this same state of poor outing. I am appealing to whoever will be in-charge of Nigeria sports not allow things again turn lout like this. There should be better preparations, more encouragement for Nigerian athletes. Those other athletes (from other countries) that we competed against had everything as in everything to succeed. It just does not make sense to expect good result from Nigerian athletes who are competing with those who have been preparing in the last three years. We Nigerian athletes are just competing with tears and blood. It is through sheer personal determination to succeed that is driving Nigerian athletes. It just does not add up like that."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Duro Ikhazuagbe, Maryam Usman: It's Time for Change in Nigerian Sports, This Day, 2016.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mariam_Usman
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Mariam Usman
16 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Mariam Usman →
Related Quotes
"The preparation is nothing to talk about; but I am not discouraged, rather I’m taking it up as a challenge to increas…"
"Thank God for exposure at previous Olympics, continental championships and series of trials that has helped me to gar…"
"It is painful to come to the Olympics and see people who are your contemporaries perform better than you; not because…"
"For me, it is not just about jumping unto the plane every four years to go to the Olympics. Every athlete you see her…"
"Olympic gold medal doesn’t come cheap. It is painful that one has to suffer and when competition comes they expect yo…"
"I feel 2012 was better. I had better training and my result was better. This time nothing was done to better one’s pe…"
"I feel honoured and glad to be voted as the Weightlifter of the Year 2014 by Nigerians. It was an honour that I feel …"
"The secret of my success is not far-fetched. With all honesty and modesty, I can say that determination and hard work…"
"I decided to become a weightlifter because of the intimidation from boys. I felt I needed to look like that so I can …"
"I am going to the qualifiers lift the sole aim of picking a ticket for the Olympics. The tournament will actually sho…"