Team Nigeria arrive Tokyo Olympic Games Village with high optimism

The first batch of Team Nigeria’s contingent to the 2020 Olympic Games on Sunday arrived at the Games Village in Tokyo from their training camp in Kisarazu, Japan.

This batch was made up of table tennis, gymnastics, taekwondo and rowing athletes and officials.

They arrived at the Games Village after putting finishing touches to their preparations in Kisarazu.

Chika Chukwumerije, Technical Director and member of Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) Caretaker Committee said from Tokyo that they arrived safely and were rating to make the nation proud.

“I can tell you that the first batch of Team Nigeria contingent has landed the Olympic Games village in Tokyo from our Kisarazu training camp, also here in Japan,” he said.

Chukwumerije, a bronze medalist at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, disclosed that a sports medicine centre has also been set up for the contingent.

He expressed optimism that Elizabeth Anyanacho, Nigeria’s sole representative in the taekwondo event, will perform well in the Games’ female competition in spite of stiff competition from more experienced athletes.

Chukwumerije said the Kisarazu camp had helped the athletes to perfect their preparations and acclimatize to the Japanese weather.

Team Nigeria with 58 athletes, 22 coaches and officials in nine sports departed Nigeria in four batches with a stop-over in Kisarazu for their final pre-Games camping.

The rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympics is set to set the world alight from Friday to Aug. 8 under strict COVID-19 protocols.

It will be without the presence of Japanese and visiting spectators at the venues.