Ese Ukpeseraye, the first Nigerian cyclist to represent the country at the Olympic Games, revealed that she had to borrow a bicycle from her German colleagues to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ukpeseraye shared her experience in a tweet on her X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, highlighting the challenges she faced as she made history for Nigeria.
Competing in the women’s road race on August 4, Ukpeseraye was unable to complete the event and did not register a score. Despite the setback, she continued to represent Nigeria in other events. On Wednesday, the 25-year-old raced in the Keirin and Sprint cycling events, finishing sixth in the first round. Unfortunately, she also fell short of securing qualification through the repechage later that day.
Ukpeseraye described the difficulties she encountered, explaining that she was called to participate in the second event on “short notice” and lacked the necessary equipment. Without a bicycle to race on the tracks, she found herself in a difficult situation. However, the German team stepped in to help by lending her a bicycle, allowing her to compete.
“Due to the short notice, I had to compete at the Keirin & Sprint. I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks,” Ukpeseraye wrote in her tweet. “In the spirit of sportsmanship, the German team came to my rescue by offering me a bicycle.”
Despite the challenges, Ukpeseraye remains determined as she prepares to compete in one more event on Friday. Her resilience and the support she received from fellow athletes underscore the camaraderie and sportsmanship that define the Olympic spirit.
Melissa Enoch
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