lalasticlala come and see snake

Are they wearing parachute

naptu2:
[size=14pt]Sunday Bada[/size]



Sunday Bada was an olympic champion, a world indoor champion, a world cup champion and the african and nigerian champion. He is probably the best 400 metres runner to come out of Nigeria (and that's saying something because we've produced great 400 metres champions like Innocent Egbunike, Enefiok Udo-Obong and Sunday Uti).



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ynGAzlYZfo

Sunday Bada ...son (ma friend) is doing well here in Dublin. one fineboi likedat

naptu2:
[size=14pt]Golden field athletes[/size]
Despite what some people say, we were not only good on the tracks, we also had fantastic field athletes.

Yes we did....but even then, track was our forte.....field was not that good for us.

Great thread from Nairaland's very own Encyclopedia, Naptu2.
Really Really great and Eye opening thread.

Nice right up ma..I appreciate it..Thumbs Up

I remember those days mhen, when you sit in front of your tv especially the african games where you can easily predict that 1st 2nd 3rd and even 4th sef will be nigerians in a 100m dash and you can never be wrong.

It was joy watching these heroes way back. It also coincides with our glorious years in soccer.

Weldone naptu2.

This is something I had thought of doing for over two years now, particularly with the sprints. I have great memories of the 90s. The question was never if we would have people in the finals, it was always "will they turn up"?. Sadly, many of them never reached their potential. I remember that going into the Barcelona olympics, only three men had gone under 10 seconds. Michael Marsh, who had run 9.93s didnt make the 100m team for the US. The other two who had run under 10s were Nigerians:

Davidson Ezinwa - 9.96s
Olapade Adeniken - 9.97s (he ran this time twice in the build up to the olympics)

Sadly, they didn't reproduce their form in the final and neither of them got a medal.

Our T&F has gone so bad that in an era where people beat 10 secs with ease, we dont have any man who has dipped under that barrier in 10 years. Whereas we had sprinters who did that yearly in an era when breaking 10s was seen as something really special

This is one hell of a piece.. Thumbs up for this research. Will go through later.

And whenever i say NIGERIA WILL BE GREAT AGAIN some kids on nairaland will start asking Was nigeria ever great?

Where is Deji Aliu

i actually teared up reading this,,, it pains to know that instead of rising in glory we just keep going down

Seeing the damage sports administrators have done to Nigeria for their own selfish interest over the last 20yrs makes me want to cry. As a long time sports enthusiast from growing up in Bendel state where sports was a way of life.
So So sad. See what corruption has caused us.

tglobal:
Weldone naptu2.

This is something I had thought of doing for over two years now, particularly with the sprints. I have great memories of the 90s. The question was never if we would have people in the finals, it was always "will they turn up"?. Sadly, many of them never reached their potential. I remember that going into the Barcelona olympics, only three men had gone under 10 seconds. Michael Marsh, who had run 9.93s didnt make the 100m team for the US. The other two who had run under 10s were Nigerians:

Davidson Ezinwa - 9.96s
Olapade Adeniken - 9.97s (he ran this time twice in the build up to the olympics)

Sadly, they didn't reproduce their form in the final and neither of them got a medal.

Our T&F has gone so bad that in an era where people beat 10 secs with ease, we dont have any man who has dipped under that barrier in 10 years. Whereas we had sprinters who did that yearly in an era when breaking 10s was seen as something really special

Because they burn the tracks of Europe all season before major events, by the time major events come they are exhausted already...

I am a big fan of Athletics. Saying that this thread has made my day is just stating the obvious!

Talking about the dearth of of athletics in Nigeria, my major concern is that every potential athlete in Nigeria wants to be a footballer... at the end most of them fail to measure up. Whatever happened to School Inter and Intra House sports?

As for me, I utilize every avenue to encourage our prospective 'footballers' to give other sports a trial.

God bless the poster!!

nice one OP great memories lol i remember this story when growing up. so adenikan turned the tables on them? always thought they beat him agbaya somebories.

always admired such athletes like olapade should have won a gold in the 4x100 relay in the 1997 world championship if not for the great canadian runner donovan bailey who came out of no where to win it for them in the last leg.

really sad at the state of nigerian T&F particularly the 100m. remember how in the 90s both for men and women at least one athlete would surely get to the finals be it olympics or world champs but if we get to semis na miracle.

but why are not tapping from the knowledge of these guys? we have the ezinwa brothers, olapade adenikan, chidi imoh, mary onyali, falilat ogunkoya, etc yet nigerian athletics is now like this? doesn't add up.

naptu2:
[size=14pt]Olapade Adeniken and Dennis Mitchell fight in Zurich hotel[/size]

From the New York Times.



http://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/20/sports/20iht-ian_1.html

I read this post and I wept.TRULY, there was a country.Never in our history, have we had to look to the future, with so much bleakness.Thank you for reminding us of our 'once great heritage'.

You have to love athletics or be an athlete to understand the masterpiece that is this post.

Thank you, Naptu2

Imagine if we went back to scouting talented athletes in schools.
I remember two girls in particular who dominated 100m and the long distance races respectively back in FGGC-- Adaobi and Millicent. I refuse to believe they are humans. You just have to recognise talent when you're the sports perfect.

To say Rio 2016 was disappointing is an understatement. And this messed up Nigeria where we can't boast of representation on the track is... I have no words to describe it.

Thanks for this wonderful compilation Naptu2!

The inclusion of Glory Alozie and Francis Obikwelu is notable.

I believe their time marked the decline of Nigerian athletics.

Since this thread focuses primarily on the golden age, I suggest you do another one making reference to Dele Udoh (who was shot by a policeman in Lagos just before a major international athletics meet),Emmanuel Ifeajuna (first Black African to win a gold medal at an international sports event), the role of Mobil, Adeyemi-Wilson, AK Amu and others in the promotion of athletics in Nigeria as this would be helpful for our younger ones.

It is a pity that we do not take history serious in Nigeria. So much so that we even removed it from our educational curriculum.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana

Its very sad, The Nigeria as we knew it is no more. Things have fallen apart, like umpty dumty...Maybe in the next 100 years after an evolution of this decay produces a new hope. Nothing to write home about anymore. Its over!

Talenthunters:
I am a big fan of Athletics. Saying that this thread has made my day is just stating the obvious!

Talking about the dearth of of athletics in Nigeria, my major concern is that every potential athlete in Nigeria wants to be a footballer... at the end most of them fail to measure up. Whatever happened to School Inter and Intra House sports?

As for me, I utilize every avenue to encourage our prospective 'footballers' to give other sports a trial.

God bless the poster!!

Please keep encouraging them. I pray one would turn out a world beater.

Usain Bolt started off with football and cricket before he was advised to switch to the tracks by his cricket coach.

Who would have thought a tall man like him would become a legend in the sprints?

I'd really love to partake in the Olympics I really have a tin for athletics...years back my aunt. used to sponsor me n I also used to represent my sch buh tinx Jes suddenly changed...anyways most of the sport in dz year Olympic was quite funny water. polo?

good write up naptu2, I realize there is nothing on uchena emedolu and OLUSOJI FASUBA.

yuzedo:
god naptu! My everlasting respect, boss. We shall do exploits together someday, me and you.

Roger that!

I was so overwhelmed with joyous memory of the golden moments of our athletes....

Nigeria.... There was once a country so great and dominating at it best

wonderful post, you brought back fond memories of my childhood. I remember watching Mary Onyali as a child and i was filled with pride back then. Nigeria has truly fallen to mediocrity... so sad

johnie:
Thanks for this wonderful compilation Naptu2!

Since this thread focuses primarily on the golden age, I suggest you do another one making reference to Dele Udoh (who was shot by a policeman in Lagos just before a major international athletics meet),Emmanuel Ifeajuna (first Black African to win a gold medal at an international sports event), the role of Mobil, Adeyemi-Wilson, AK Amu and others in the promotion of athletics in Nigeria as this would be helpful for our younger ones.

I just came across this thread:

https://www.nairaland.com/2166200/nigerian-athletics-early-20th-century

@Naptu2:Please send as article to any national daily of your choice. This shouldn't be used without due credit.

Aside preparation and youth neglect, hasn't there been a decline in national spirit and pride?

Thank God this make FP. Unlike snake stories.