200L Unilag Student Picks First Gold Medal Of NUGA 2022

Naomi Chinenye, a 200L student of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Lagos scooped the first available gold medal of the 26th Nigeria University Games Association 2022.

Naomi Nnamdi Chinenye finished first of 13 athletes in a time of 33:27:00 in the 5000m (5km) Racewalking athletics event held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Sunday morning, setting a new PB, even to the lads’ amazement.

This was only Naomi’s second-ever competition just about a month after she first got introduced to the sport and was selected to represent the University at the games and she shared her undiluted joy at winning her first collegiate medal, first-ever NUGA a medal and the first gold medal of the 26th edition of NUGA.

“I feel grateful to God first, then I feel very happy,” she said.

“It (preparation) was a crazy experience. I got to the point where I was asking myself if I was really going to do this. I knew nothing about it but I was eager to learn. I didn’t know if I will do it but I am happy I gave it a trial.”

“Waking up at morning by 4am was not funny at all. I am really happy all my sacrifices made was not in vain,” she said.

Quizzed on what’s next for her and her already started athletics career Naomi said she just wants to keep going.

“To keep working, to keep going, to keep enjoying myself while at it, to keep exploring, to keep being myself. I am waiting for bigger challenges, bigger stages and opportunities for greater growth and achievements.”

NUGA/Nnenna.O