Joel Ajayi 

Despite not growing up in the country, the Olympian who represented Nigeria at the Gymnastics event in Tokyo 2020 Uche Eke has given out scholarships to two Members of Tony Asuquo Gymnastic TIG Club to pursue their career in sports in the United States of America.

Uche who is now a Software Engineer in the state promised to donate gymnastics equipment to his childhood club to help the children have better training.

Softspoken Eke, the trailblazing Nigerian Olympian who made history by representing the country at the Tokyo 2022 Olympics, is presently in Nigeria on holiday, seizing the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of gymnastics in the nation.

Addressing a gathering during a training session at Moshood Abiola Stadium’s gymnasium hall, Eke articulated his post-retirement commitment to establishing a robust platform for the flourishing of young Nigerian gymnasts. Reflecting on the profound opportunities he presented by representing his country, he underscored the importance of creating avenues for the next generation of Nigerian talent.

Recalling his own experiences while preparing for Tokyo 2020, Eke recognized the abundance of untapped talent among aspiring gymnasts, hindered only by the lack of appropriate environments and equipment. Now, he is determined to make a difference by providing scholarships for two promising gymnasts to pursue training in the United States, ensuring access to cutting-edge facilities and participation in top-tier competitions.

Expanding on his philanthropic endeavors, Eke announced plans to support the Tony International Gymnastics Club (TIG) by providing essential equipment. His goal is to empower young athletes, enabling them to hone their skills and potentially secure podium finishes at future Olympic Games.

He expressed that he desires to see many Nigerian Gymnasts succeed and surpass what he has done, saying that he desires to see the next person that will go to the Olympics for Nigeria to win a medal not just go.

When asked if he is going to participate in this year’s Olympics in Paris? Uche expressed: “It makes me sad to say that I will not be participating. But you know, we are doing some other things such as trying to sponsor two gymnasts, and take them, somewhere in the United States and have them trained up with great equipment.

“That is why I am here,  the idea of picking some children from Nigeria, taking them abroad,  we have raw talents, looking at them they are strong but the only disadvantage is equipment, it’s bad for their safety, and it slows down the pace of their learning process. Everyone here is determined, they have the Nigerian blood flowing through them that is why I decided to give scholarships to two of them every year to enable them to have better equipment.”

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