ESE Ukpeseraye, whose story went viral for having to borrow a track bike from the Germans for her race, has also revealed the difficulty track cyclists face in accessing training facilities in Nigeria.
According to her: “We have a very beautiful track, our track is the best in Africa, but we don’t use it. They don’t permit us.
“One of the most expensive sports venues in the world is in Nigeria, which has a beautiful wooden velodrome. but since it’s rented out for religious services and other activities for most of the year, bikers are not permitted to train there.”
Ese went on to relive how, less than a week before the Paris Olympics began, Nigeria’s inclusion was announced, and the squad hadn’t brought any track bikes. Less than two weeks before the opening of the Paris Olympics, Nigeria’s inclusion was announced, and the team had forgotten to bring any track bikes.
Ese participated in the women’s individual sprint qualification round for the Olympics, ending with a time of 11.652 for the 200-meter flying lap.
Eighteen-Eleven Media