Tokyo 2020 Olympics: My focus is to win medal, says 2015 Africa Games gold medallist

 

 

Kelechi Nwanaga, a Congo Brazaville 2015 Africa Games gold medalist, says being absent at the ongoing London World Athletics Championships will motivate her to do better at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

Nwanaga, who could not qualify in the Javelin event for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships, added that with the requisite equipment she would step up her performance.

She stated this on Saturday in Lagos that she hoped to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Not qualifying for the World Championships does not mean that I have lost hope. My focus is to win medal in Tokyo Olympics.

“But I need the help of sponsors, exposure, training tours and good implements because the one I am using now is not even good to train with any longer.

“If sponsors do this, they should expect nothing less than a gold medal in 2020 from me. “You can only use the Javelin I use now to train upcoming athlete to show them that this is Javelin,’’ she said.

Nwanaga, who broke Sorochukwu Ihuefo’s long standing women’s Javelin record of 55.30m set in 2002, said that Nigerian athletes were expected to perform well, but with less support from the authorities.

“You are being given less and they will expect much from you, they want me to qualify for world championships with a training Javelin which is not possible.

“There is a saying that to whom much is given much is expected, but here the reverse is the case.

“What I need is either the Nordic or Nemeth Javelin which is in vogue at international competitions,’’ she said.

She added that she hoped to be among the first five in the world. vanguard