WAUG-TATT – This victory is for my late mum

Its was an emotional finishing for Ladoke Akintola University of Technology three hundred levels Transport Management student, Shakirat Oluwakemi Ghazali when she coast home to victory in the 10,000 and 5,000 metres of the fist West Africa University Games Tennis, Athletics and Table Tennis, WAUG-TATT holding in the Sports Center of the University of Lagos.

Twenty years old Shakirat was moved to tears as she narrates how her father almost frustrates her love for the track but for the timely intervention of her late mother who stood by her decision to make a career out of athletics.

Shakirat, a raw talent that should be encouraged by those saddled with the responsibility of managing the nation’s athletics – The Athletic Federation of Nigeria, AFN could go on to be become a world class middle distance runner.

Her time of 40.22.61 and 18.29.11 in both races were a far cry from the bench mark she set for herself and have promised to improve on it at the 15th National Sports Festival where she will represent Oyo State.

“I started my athletic career in 1999 in my native town of Ogbomoso but almost call it quit with the sport I love most due to pressure from my father but for the motherly love and encouragement from my late mother and later from coach Aneneh who took it upon himself to see that I continue to run after the demise of my mother”.

“I am dedicating this honour to the memory of my late mother who believed and urged me on when the tide was rough”.

“I am not satisfied with the time I return here but it’s an improvement from my previous effort and I want to state categorically that I will improve on it when hostilities began in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the Gateway Games”.

Young Shakirat won 2 gold medals in her specialty, 10,000 and 5,000 and one bronze in 1,500 at the Nigerian University Games; NUGA held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 2004 and I pray that the national coaches will look at my direction some day where I hope to represent Nigeria someday at international event.