Wen Annette Echikunwoke, wey wrap American flag around her bin celebrate her silver medal for di women hammer throw for Paris 2024, e get some feeling say she do sometin right wit di history wey she don make.
But for dose wey dey watch for Nigeria, na case of wetin suppose be.
Africa most populous kontri still dey wait for dia first medal at dis Olympic Games, and Echikunwoke for don compete for green and white if not for one administrative ovalook by di Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Instead, di 28-year-old become di first American woman to win Olympic medal for di hammer.
“I dey so glad to dey able to get wetin I experience here for Paris and to dey able to come away wit medal,” she say.
“To dey wit di US, I feel di care for athlete, I really perform on top of my game.”
So how Nigeria take miss out on potential place for di world stage?
Sliding doors in Tokyo
Echikunwoke, wey dem born for Ohio and get dual American-Nigerian citizenship, and set to represent di kontri of her parents during Tokyo 2020.
She bin break di African record for qualification – na dat be her first eva trip to Nigeria – but dem rule her out say she no dey eligible to compete afta she arrive Japanese capital.
She no dey alone, as di Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) rule say 10 Nigerian athletes de unable to take part becos of say dem no comply wit out-of-competition drug testing requirements for di run-up to di Games.
For Echikunwoke di sense of shock be like “fever dream”.
“For my 25th birthday, dem officially inform me say I no fit compete for di Tokyo Olympics due to di negligence of di federation wey I suppose compete for,” she say for one message she bin post on Instagram.
“I no even fit begin explain how I dey heartbroken.
“Dis na di most mentally and emotionally tiring time of my life.”
Di AFN bin fail to comply wit rule wey require athletes to undergo three out-of-competition tests within 10-month period bifor any major event.
Echikunwoke say she bin provide her whereabouts to di AFN six times for dat period, but no-one eva come to test her for di USA.
“Di AFN bear responsibility for any lapses wey don occur during di process,” one statement by di organisation tok.
“Few athletes for di American collegiate system dey tested, but dose tests no follow di World Anti-Doping Agency sample collection and analysis standards.”
But, for Echikunwoke, di possibility of representing Nigeria don dey ova.
Chasing di American dream
Instead, she decide say her future dey wit di kontri wey dem born her.
Echikunwoke make her first appearance for di World Championships in Eugene for 2022 wia she finish for 12th position for di final.
She be surprise winner of di 2024 US Olympic trials, throwing season best of 74.86m.
She pass dat for di Stade de France on Tuesday evening as her mark of 75.48m place her behind Canada Camryn Rogers.
“I feel pretty secure coming into di competition. Na opportunity of lifetime,” Echikunwoke say.
“E dey electric just to dey di US team, to enta di final, coming into di stadium and hearing everyone so loud.
“[To be] di first woman to win medal (in hammer throw) for di US, na really honour.
“Na really big win. I bin want di experience.”
Today, Echikunwoke stand proud, as she move on from di chapter of her career wia she for don compete under di flag of Nigeria.
“I know say more dey always dey, even from dat time,” she say.
“I don forgive di past and we just move forward.”
One representative of Nigeria sports minister tok on her success.
“We dey focus on our own athletes now, no be one wey don go to represent anoda kontri,” di spokesperson tell BBC Sport Africa.
Di AFN no respond to di BBC request for comment on Echikunwoke silver medal.
Di reaction for Nigeria
While Echikunwoke target more major honours and more celebrations wit di Stars and Stripes, Nigeria still dey wait to get onto di medal table for Paris.
Congratulations come in for Echikunwoke from Nigerians on social media – but plenti of dem also tok dia criticism toward di sporting authorities for di kontri.
“Dem disqualify her from Tokyo sake of senseless clerical error of di AFN,” one user post on X.
“Representing America for 2024. Talent nurtured to di fullest. Silver medallist.”
Anoda add: “No let Nigeria kill your dream if you get di opportunity to make am elsewhere. Annette Nneka Echikunwoke fight for her destiny.”
Her case of being unable to compete for Nigeria no be di only one.
Sprinter Favour Ofili – anoda of dose wey miss out for Tokyo becos of wetin di AFN ovalook on testing – dey denied of her chance to run for di women 100m for di French capital becos she no dey registered for di event.
Both Nigerian officials and governing body World Athletics deny responsibility for wetin happun.
Ofili den finish 6th position for di final of di 200m on Tuesday, and di emotions of missing out pain her wey be say she no dey able to speak to reporters afta her race.
But Nigeria women still fit offer potential medals bifor di end of di Games.
Ese Brume, bronze medallist for Tokyo, finish fourth for long jump qualification, while fellow Nigerians Ruth Usoro and Prestina Ochonogor go also go for glory for di final on Thursday
Meanwhile, Tobi Amusan qualify fastest for di semi-finals of di women 100m hurdles on Friday morning.
Echikunwoke say she may celebrate her Olympic silver by eating sour candy, treat she rarely enjoy while training.
Nigeria athletes now get just four full days of competition to avoid pain of not getting medal, as dem dey look someone wey for be team-mate but administrative ovalook no gree.
