Nigeria’s Olayinka Olajide fought back tears after her Commonwealth Games women’s 200m campaign ended in the semi-finals on Thursday, admitting that injury and a lack of preparation for the event made the challenge even more difficult.
Olajide finished seventh in her semi-final in 23.79 seconds, as the British Virgin Islands’ Adaejah Hodge won the race in a Commonwealth Games record of 22.01 seconds, ahead of Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore in 22.49 seconds.
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Speaking to journalists moments after the race, the visibly emotional Nigerian sprinter revealed that she had been competing through pain and had considered withdrawing before deciding to fight on.
“I’m not actually in a very perfect shape because my hand is quite disturbing me. I wanted to pull out, but I’m a type of person that doesn’t give up.”
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Although disappointed with the result, Olajide said the experience had taught her an important lesson about listening to her body and trusting her coach’s advice.
“I started this season on a very good note. But because I didn’t listen to myself and I didn’t listen to my coach back in Texas, because he wanted me to have a full-time rest, I didn’t give myself that grace.”
She admitted she struggled to hide her emotions after the race but was determined not to let the setback define her season.
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“I’m going to say six out of 10. I’m not really, really okay. I already promised myself that I’m not going to cry about this.”
Olajide also disclosed that competing in the 200m was never part of her original plan for the Games.
According to her, she travelled to Glasgow expecting to focus on Nigeria’s 4x100m relay team before learning after arriving that she would also compete in the individual event.
“They told me I was coming here to run the 4×100, so it was when we got here that they said I was going to run the 200. Because of my injury, I never prepared for the 200. I’ve always prepared for the 100 metres.”
She explained that even at Nigeria’s national trials she did not contest the 200m, making the race an unfamiliar challenge.
Still, after discussing the situation with her coach, she decided to embrace the opportunity.
“When I told my coach about it, he said he would like me to run an individual event for experience. He said, ‘You’ve come all the way to the Games.’ So I wanted to take something home, and that was why I decided to agree to run the 200.”
READ ALSO: Enekwechi delivers as Nigeria wins eighth gold medal at Commonwealth Games
Despite her exit, Olajide remains available for Nigeria’s sprint relay team as Team Nigeria continues its athletics campaign in Glasgow.
Her determination to compete despite injury reflected the fighting spirit that has characterised Nigeria’s performances at the Games, where the country has remained Africa’s highest-ranked nation and continued to add medals across several events.
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