Onusiriuka Targets Olympic Medal After Dominating Nat’l Youth Games

Lagos State Gymnast prodigy Stephanie Onusiriuka has set her sights on becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win an Olympic medal in Gymnastics.

The 14-year-old once again proved her class at the just-concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, where she dominated the gymnastics events and left no doubt about her rising star status.

Representing Lagos State, Onusiriuka competed with poise, power, and precision, winning gold in the beam, vault, and the coveted all-round category.

She also added two silvers in the floor exercise and the team event to crown a remarkable outing.

Her latest triumph builds on an already glittering record. At the 2023 Games, she stunned the crowd with four gold medals, instantly becoming the cynosure of all eyes and the poster girl for gymnastics in Nigeria.

This year in Asaba, the focus was squarely on her once again — and she delivered.

But Onusiriuka’s ambition stretches far beyond the National Youth Games. Having had training in London to hone her skills at world-class facilities, she has set her sights on competing — and medaling — at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and ultimately the Olympics.

She said: “My dream is to represent Nigeria at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. I am grateful to my parents and to everyone who has supported me so far, but I need access to top-class training facilities to compete with the best in the world without feeling intimidated. That is why I am appealing for private sector support. I believe I can be the first gymnast to win an Olympic medal for Nigeria if I am given the right opportunities.”

Onusiriuka trains at the Leeds Gymnastics and is a member of the UK Gymnastics Club, is reportedly being lobbied to return to the UK.

Onusiriuka Targets Olympic Medal After Dominating Nat’l Youth Games is first published on The Whistler Newspaper