Nigeria gets Two Bronze Medals in Relay
As if in response to the yearning back home for at least something to show for their efforts in the concluding Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Nigerian contingent grabbed two bronze medals in quick succession yesterday.
The feats were accomplished in the men 4x100 and 4x400 relay races. They are the only medals the over 140-member strong contingent has to show for its 28-day participation since the event began.
In the 4x100, the first of the two races, with first leg Olusoji Fasuba in lane four, the quartet took off on a fast note. Like their Nigerian 4x100 female counterparts, the first to second leg baton exchange went smoothly with Emedolu Uchenna receiving the baton promptly and maintaining the fast pace set by his compatriot.
As if history was to repeat itself, albeit just within a matter of days, the baton exchange between the second-leg runner, Emodolu, with third leg, Aaron Egbele, seemed faulty. The later was seen turning his head back as he took the baton, a procedure that definitely slows one down. Unlike the girls who, the day before, suffered a similar fate, the men were able to recover fast enough from the lapse.
The exchange between Egbele and quartet anchorman Deji Aliu, seemed faultless. Although it was not enough to threaten the lead of the British quartet that apparently had a smooth exchange all the way, and the U.S quartet (who coincidentally also fumbled at the second-to-third leg baton exchange), it was enough for the Nigerians to nip the bronze in 38.23 seconds. It was also a season best for the Nigerian quartet.
Mark Lewis-Francis who anchored the British quartet held off America's Maurice Greene on the last leg to win a stunning gold medal in the race. The photo finish between the two saw the British win in 38.07 while the U.S quartet earned silver in 38.08.
An elated Emedolu, who spoke after the race, expressed gladness that the country had won the medal. His words: "Nigeria is a sporting nation. So we are pleased to have won a medal here.
To Aliu the medal means a lot: "Most of our best athletes were injured before the games so we are very happy with the result," he said. On what was in his mind when he was handed the baton, he said: "When I had to start, the only thought I had was, go for it," he said.
In the 4x400 metres race, the Nigerian quartet of Godday James, Audu Musa, Weigopwa Saul and Udo Enefiok made good an earlier promise to pick a medal.
First-leg runner, James, had a steady race, but he did not seem to gain much ground on his counterparts on the track. It was Audu Musa whose blistering run in the second leg seemed to make up for the Nigerians as he overtook others to lead the pack.
Weigopwa Saul, however, did not have the best of races. He easily gave way to the others as he slowed down the pace of the quartet. By the time he handed over to the anchorman, Udo Obong, it seemed that Nigeria was in for yet another disappointing outing. But he later did not disappoint. As he did in Sydney 2004 to win the gold of the then 4x400, it was Udo-Obong that salvaged the situation. His acceleration from the 50 metres mark in the last leg virtually earned the country the laurel.
The United States quartet snatched the gold in 2.55.91 seconds while the silver medal had gone to Australia in 3.00.60 seconds
