The first woman from Africa to qualify for the Olympics in skeleton is into her final training in Calgary.
Simidele Adeagbo, who has roots in Calgary, will represent Nigeria in South Korea next month.
She was a U.S. college star in triple jump in her 20s but fell short of making the Olympics.
Adeagbo is 36 years old now and finally fulfilling her Olympic dream in another sport.
“This is a barrier that's been broken now to be the first female African athlete in the sport of skeleton to make it to the Olympic Games to me that’s very special. I’ve made history and it was really a moment that I was filled with pride,” says Adeagbo.
Adeagbo lived in Nigeria until she was six and attended grades four to seven in Calgary but lives in South Africa now.
She started learning skeleton on her own but does have some coaching.
“I'd never really known a lot about skeleton. September 12 was the first time I touched the skeleton sled ever in life here at the ice house and from there I just committed myself to learning as much as I could about the sport and really just trying to see what was possible for this season, “ says Adeagbo. “In the back of my mind I thought that an Olympic berth could be possible but I wasn’t sure but I went for it anyways.”
Adeagbo will be joined by the Nigerian women’s bobsleigh team which qualified for the games in a race in Calgary last year.
Africa will also be represented on the men’s side in skeleton.
Skwasi Frimpong, who was a sprinter growing up in Holland, has qualified for Ghana where he lived until he was eight years old.
The African athletes qualified for the games under the continental representation rule which provides an easier path to qualification for continents that do not meet normal qualification standards.
(With files from Shaun Frenette)
