Seun Adigun and Akuoma Omeoga made history in 52.21 seconds on Tuesday, finishing their first run in the women’s bobsled to become the first athletes from an African nation to compete in bobsled.
It was much more than 52 seconds — the training and sacrifices go back much further than that — but it was a special stretch of time for Adigun and Omeoga. They celebrated at the bottom of the hill.
Adigun and Omeoga followed fellow Niegerian Simidele Adeagbo, who competed in the skeleton on the same track less than one week ago. The two former track athletes — Adigun ran at in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2012 Olympics and Omeoga sprinted at the University of Minnesota — have the speed, but are still working on some technical aspects of the sport.
They will compete in the second day of women’s bobsled competition on Wednesday.