Ayodele Ikuesan Wants To Run For Nigeria After Winning Medals For France

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Sprinter Ayodele Ikuesan has appealed to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to support her quest for a nationality switch from France to Nigeria.

She was in Nigeria last week to explore ways of holding discussions with the federation, when THISDAY Sports ran into her last Friday in Abuja.

Ikuesan was born in Paris in 1985 to Nigerian parents of Ondo State origin. Also her uncle is Olusegun Ikuesan, who is the media official of the Nigeria Basket Ball Federation (NBBF).

She has won several laurels for France, including a gold medal at 4x 100m relay at the Mediterranean Games in 2009.

If talks are held with Nigerian officials, it will raise the spectre of a switch that will make the 100 metres runner eligible to dash for Nigeria at the international level with the Olympics Games in Rio, Brazil next year in view.
She was a member of the French relay teams to the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games in Beijing and London. She also ran for the French quartet that was disqualified after winning the silver medal at the last World Championship in Moscow in 2013.

Her personal best time is 11.22 seconds, which she returned at the European Championship in Zurich, Switzerland last year to win a silver medal.

Ikuesan, informed THISDAY Sports that though she is a citizen of France, she opted for the switch because she had her roots in Nigeria.

She pleaded with Nigerian officials to assist her realise the switch by linking up with the French Athletics Federation (FFA) and the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) should the need arise.

“I am trying to find all information to know if I could compete for Nigeria for next year at the Olympics. My personal best in the 100m which is 11.22 seconds is good enough to break into the Nigerian team if the switch is successful. This is not about France, I just want to switch and run for Nigeria.

‘’It is a decision I have made as an adult because this is my country, and it will be a dream come true if I can be a part of the Nigerian contingent to the Olympic Games in Rio next year. I am a full-blooded Nigerian and I hold the Nigerian passport, though I have been representing France where I was born. It would an honour to run with Blessing Okagbare, whom I used to see in meetings in Europe. I need information on the possibility of the switch and how long it will take,’’ Ikuesan explained.

John

I think she has a good heart. She wants to run for Nigeria not for money. Nigeria should give her the chance to run without washing time.