By Ediale Kingsley
Chierika ‘Coco’ Ukogu, the first rower to represent Nigeria at the Olympics, has qualified for the quarter finals of the Women’s Single sculling event.
With no assistance from Nigeria whatsoever, this 23yr old Stanford Graduate and dual national, put medical school on hold to self fund her Olympic dream through a job, sponsorship, and ‘go fund me’ page. She trained with the US Olympic team, and made countless numerous personal and professional sacrifices to wear her country’s colours.
She epitomises the true spirit of the Olympics; courage, grit and steely determination.
The quarter finals begin at 1:10pm today.