In the face of late preparations and low
number of experienced wrestlers at his
disposal, 2002 Commonwealth Games and
Sydney 2000 Olympics gold medalist,
Honorable Daniel Igali tells SOLOMON NWOKE
that Nigerians should not expect too much
from his wrestlers at the Glasgow Games,
starting July 23
What are your expectations at the 2014
Commonwealth Games?
I am looking forward to a colorful celebration
of the Commonwealth Games. I am looking
forward to seeing about 44 nations compete
for medals on the mat and also looking
forward to sporting brilliance in Glasgow.
What were the preparations like for your
wrestlers and how confident are you that they
will win medals in Glasgow?
When you are in the heat of battle, you stop
talking about what you could have done
better. The discussion now has to be about
encouraging our wrestlers so that they will do
their best at the Commonwealth Games. I
have always believed that it’s not how hard or
long one trains that enables one to get the job
done but how well and how smartly one
prepares that gets it done. Ideal scenarios are
the stuff of dreams. I can say we have done
what could be done in the circumstances. The
wrestlers, in my view, are in the mood to
challenge for medals for Nigeria. They are
motivated to win medals.
If you had your way, what would you have
wished for the athletes?
Again what I would have wished for the
athletes is now belated. I must admit that
preparations officially started a bit behind
schedule.
For Nigeria to even dream about winning
medals at the 2016 Olympics, we really need
to shift our focus from one month
preparations to a more streamlined, focused
and methodical long term developmental
model. Preparation has to be a four year
cycle-program.
Immediately we are through with one Olympic
Games, the next Olympic cycle has to begin.
For us to do well, our athletes must compete.
Until we decide to adopt high performance
models in our sports system, we will continue
to lament after every major sporting event
because we are hardly harnessing the
potentials of our athletes.
Was it proper to select the Clasgow-bound
wrestlers from the E.K Clark Wrestling
Championship held in Delta State?
The decision to name the Commonwealth
Games wrestlers at the EK Clark
Championships was probably one of the best
decisions we have made as a federation. It
was done in the open and in a very
transparent manner. Most times, when trial
selections are done in a closed camp, athletes
always complain about being robbed.
In this instance however, the silver medalist
and the bronze medalist who normally do not
have a chance to wrestle against each other in
a normal tournament ,were given a chance to
battle each other. The winner was given a
further opportunity to face fight the gold
medalist. In my view, there is need to give
athletes who will represent Nigeria the rest of
mind to focus on training rather than worrying
days to the tournament whether they would
make the team. For this Commonwealth
Games, we selected the first team two months
before the Games and in my view, it was a
good decision.
Our wrestlers traveled to Romania for a
training tour just few days to the start of the
Commonwealth Games. Don’t you think it
came late?
Ideally, we should have camped in Romania
for about six weeks However, because of
circumstances beyond our control,we have just
slightly over a week to spend in camp before
leaving for Glasgow. But we still have another
week in Glasgow before we start competing on
the July 29. We therefore intend to make the
best use of the time in Glasgow as well.
How do we guide against such delays in future
International competition?
It’s a complicated situation. Most sports
federations, including wrestling, rely
exclusively on funding from the National
Sports Commission and as a result, there is
little we can do as a national federation to
address this short-coming. I am hopeful
however, that things will improve as regards
better preparations for international sporting
events.
Wrestling won a total of 13 medals for Nigeria,
comprising three gold, three silver and seven
bronze medals at the 2011 Commonwealth
Games in New Delhi. Are you optimistic on the
present wrestlers winning more medals?
We are hopeful as a federation that our
wrestlers will not disappoint Nigeria at the
Glasgow Games. However, it would be
irresponsible of me to mention the number
and color of medals the wrestlers would win.
My attitude towards these Games is that
contentment with whatever medals we win. I
do not want to put much pressure on the
athletes.
During the last Commonwealth Games, as the
technical adviser, I was able to predict with
almost 90% accuracy, the medals we were
capable of winning. This time however, my
technical team is optimistic of our chances in
Glasgow, but I wouldn’t volunteer information
on the number of medals, especially gold
medals. Only 30% of the members on the last
Commonwealth Games team are on the
current team.
As happy and excited as I am that there is
turnover in athletes and new talents are
discovered, it also means that we will be short
of experienced wrestlers. We therefore have to
be patient with results and not expect too
much and ultimately put too much pressure
on the team.
What target have you set for the team?
The target the federation has set for the team
is for each athlete to give 100% effort on the
mats in Glasgow.
Since you became the President of Wrestling
Federation, the sport has witnessed
tremendous development, how have you been
able to combine the role with your position as
the Chairman House Committee on Sports in
Bayelsa.
First of all, my board members in the
Wrestling Federation have made my work a
little easier. I have very good relationships
with the top shots at the National Sports
Commission and the President of the Nigeria
Olympic committee.
I also have the support of my Governor,
Speaker and other members of the Bayelsa
State House of Assembly. We also have the
support of people like Governor Uduaghan.
The other person who has operated quietly
behind the scenes is Amb. Boladei Godknows
Igali. He is the chairman of patrons of the
Wrestling federation and has really been a
huge influence to the Nigeria national
wrestling team. Later this year, he has
promised to sponsor Blessing Oborududu and
a coach to the World Wrestling championships
as part of his promise to fund the most
valuable wrestler from the Gov. Dickson
wrestling Classics to a grade1 tournament.
No comments:
Post a Comment