Why Onyia ran into the arms of Spain
By Yemi Olus
February 20, 2010 11:23PM
In April 2007, one of Nigeria’s talented athletes turned her back on her country and embraced the maroon and yellow national colours of Spain, toeing the paths of Francis Obikwelu and Glory Alozie who in 2001, adopted Portuguese and Spanish nationalities respectively.
Almost three years down the line, Josephine Onyia, who specializes in the 100 metres hurdles, says she has no regrets dropping the green and white colours of Nigeria in order to seek greener pastures.
She recently returned to Spain after spending a holiday with her family in Nigeria where she took time to speak to NEXTSports on her journey so far.
Speaking on her experience running for Spain, Onyia, who currently holds the Spanish record with a time of 12.50 seconds which she set at the 2008 IAAF Golden League in Berlin, said, "When I was running for Nigeria it was okay but running for Spain is more comfortable because whatever I need is being given to me as soon as I want it. When I was in Nigeria, when I needed something or the facilities to train, I didn’t get that completely. I feel with time Nigeria will get there.
“They really need it because even when her foreign-based athletes come around to train, they need facilities just the way it is in the countries where they are based.”
Dumping Nigeria
The 23-year-old says her friend and fellow athlete Alozie did not influence her decision to take up Spanish nationality despite their closeness and specialisation in the same event.
"Alozie had no hand in my coming to Spain. Actually when I left for Spain, I went through Germany and I was there for a month before I went to Spain. When I got there, I didn’t see Glory because she was running circuits up and down. Finally, we got to see but she wasn’t the one that convinced me to take up Spanish citizenship.
She claimed athletics authorities in Nigeria did not give her a chance to represent the country.
“There was a Valencia meet in which participated in and won the race. I set the stadium record with 7.91 seconds and immediately called Nigeria and told them that I had met the standard and if they would try to register me for the World Indoors, which was to take place in Moscow in 2006, but no one was giving me the chance to show what I had inside.”
The petite athlete says having been deprived of the opportunity to display her talent; she decided to go where she would be welcomed. She gave her account of the events that led her to run for Spain.
"After the meet in Valencia, the Spanish Federation President walked up to my coach, Rafa Balaquer and asked, ‘Who is that little athlete?’
"My coach replied, ‘That’s my athlete’. Balaquer told my coach they should not lose the opportunity of my being there to talk to me and see if I’ll be interested in running for Spain. My coach took me aside and relayed the discussion to me and I said I would give it a thought.
"That night I slept over it bearing in mind the cold treatment I had received from Nigerian officials earlier. When I came back to Nigeria, I told my Nigerian coach Kola Adebayo. He also told me the same thing, that no one was giving them the chance to fight for my issue to be in Moscow.
“I couldn’t miss both opportunities because I couldn’t waste the speed on my legs at that moment, so I had to fix it somewhere. That was how I started running for Spain”.
A worried father
Onyia said her father was not well disposed to her decision to run for another country but she had made up her mind.
"Actually my father said “No, you can’t come to Nigeria anymore” but I said "That’s your own opinion. It’s my career so I need to look ahead.
"I have no regrets; you can see me here; whenever I want to come down I just pick my (Nigerian) passport, get my ticket and I’m here, so I’m not regretting it.
“As I told you, I’m a hundred percent comfortable running for my country Spain.”
Testing positive
In 2008, Onyia tested positive for methylhexaneamine at the Athletissima meeting and also Clenbuterol at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. Real Federación Española de Atletismo, the Spanish athletics body, decided not to sanction the athlete as she had tested negative twice around the time of the positive Clenbuterol test.
However, the IAAF intervened and took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS upheld the IAAF’s appeal and she was suspended for two years and her latest past results were annulled. Her ban will expire on 10 November 2010.
The hurdler declined to comment on the intricacies surrounding the issue, saying, "Well I can’t talk about that issue because I was given permission from above not to talk to the press about this issue because I am not guilty of it. If my federation can tell me “Josephine start competing”, I don’t know what the issue with IAAF is. I’m very sorry I can’t go into details on this issue. I’m still training; my federation told me, “Go ahead, keep training so that you don’t get out of shape; we still need you”.
Best and worst moments in her career
The third of five children, Onyia says the highlight of her career was winning the Golden League where she defeated both the World Indoor record holder Susanna Kallur and World Indoor champion Lolo Jones.
“The best moment in my career was when I ran the Golden League in Berlin where I set my record: I beat my chest and told the whole world I was there and I was number one”.
However, she remembers, with pain, her inability to win the World Indoors, in Valencia, Spain, in front of the home fans.
"My worst moment was at the World Indoors in Valencia; I can’t forget that day.
"I was the athlete that fell over the last hurdle and I wept profusely. I ran a very good heat and the semi finals until the finals. Someone beat the gun so I was a bit careful because I’m a fast starter from the blocks, so I didn’t want to beat the gun.
"I was about second or third but by the time we got to the last hurdle, the lead leg did not go over the hurdle and the next thing was that I was on the floor, in front of the whole crowd in Valencia.
"After then I was talked to by my physiotherapist, my psychologist and every other person that is so dear to me so I needed to build up my confidence again. It’s gone, it’s painful but I need to think ahead.
Her eyes are trained on breaking the record she set for Spain two years ago.
“I have the Spanish record now and all eyes are on me. I wanted to break the record again before the season ended but it didn’t happen. I’m training hard but I know that when I get back now, it’s serious business.”
Back
Dear reader.
While we value your feedback we have to moderate them, so your comments would appear in a maximum of one hour. Please feel free to return and read through again after another user may have replied to what you have said.
Please note that 234NEXT.com bears no responsibility for what readers post, and is not liable for any form of impersonation.
Reader Comments (3)
Posted by Straighttalk on Feb 21 2010
What a shame! Who are these Nigerian officials who make these decisions? What reason, if any, did they give Onyia, and other gifted athletes who took up foreign nationality that Nigeria was incapable of assisting them? The Spanish must think that we are so stupid. Unfortunately, these sort of thing reinforces the stereotype about Africans in general regarding our intellectual perception, and judgement calls. This is just the beginning. Dont be surprised to see more talents follow suite. Pretty soon, Nigeria will be a breeding ground for world athletic talents. The Onyia case and others seem to indicate that money is not so much the principal issue. Very poor and irresponsible non communication appears to be the modus operandus. If communication between promising athletes and our governing bodies are properly handled we might be able to retain these athletes which can only bolster respect for Nigeria ultimately. We need a dedicated talent search and recruitment process or committee that will enable us to constantly field very strong candidates internationally. Strong competition promotes excellence among athletes, and keeps even the veterans on their toes. In the end it is for our own good. There are ways to get around money issues and facilities. The least these officials could have done was talk to these athletes, which is cheap.
Posted by FearFear on Feb 21 2010
Nice one. Keep enjoying urself. I wish u the very best. Nigeria this anoda lesson for u. If u like learn from it!
Posted by Elliot-New England(USA) on Feb 21 2010
Sister,I do not blame you at all.If your country of birth will not take care of you.Why should you care about them?Why do you think,some of us are still here in the States.I left Nigeria in my teens,back in 1976.That’s the best gift my parents ever gave to me.I do not miss Nigeria for one bit.I only feel sorry,for the coming generation with no future.