Olympic preparations need to be stepped up

Indeed, there are few signs of preparations on the local sports scene for the Paris Olympics next year, which is extremely concerning considering that the Paris Games are due to commence next July.

It should be noted here that in the past few years, we have done an infinitely better job of readying ourselves for various festivals of sports as our admirable outing at last year’s Commonwealth Games so clearly demonstrates.

However, the fact that we have been dragging our feet in our Olympic preparations thus far this year is not only exasperating but saddening.

It should be remembered that our counterparts in other nooks and crannies of the globe usually prepare for the Olympic Games for more than three straight years.

Here in our neck of the woods, we know all too well the bitter fruits that are borne from shoddy preparations for colossal sporting events.

Indeed, time and again in the past, we have scrambled to prepare for huge events in the eleventh hour, which only lamentably left us with eggs all over our faces.

Hopefully, then, our miserable memories of previous botched displays at the Olympic Games will powerfully move the sports administrators in our land to begin preparations forthwith.

Moving on, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is now in full swing and football followers on the continent are pinning their hopes on our four representatives at the marquee event, giants Nigeria, debutants Zambia, fellow debutants Morocco, and reigning African champions South Africa.

Last Friday, the Super Falcons of Nigeria faced off against perennial contenders Canada in their opening blockbuster clash of the tournament.

Despite being regarded as a dominant force in women’s football, Canada has strangely never lifted the World Cup.

One expects then that Canada will show steely determination to finally rise to the pinnacle of women’s football this time around.

However, last Friday, the Canadians ran into a plucky and quietly confident Nigerian side who brilliantly earned a share of the spoils with their renowned North American opponents.

Indeed, the result could so easily have been different if Canada’s talismanic skipper Christine Sinclair had not missed a penalty, thanks to the impressive agility of Chiamaka Nnadozie, who was between the sticks for the Super Falcons.

Meanwhile, while Nigeria was grappling with the tough challenge of locking horns with Canada, Zambia was being given a thoroughly torrid time by heavyweights Japan.

The erstwhile world champions Japan gave Zambia a humiliating 5-0 drubbing in the opening encounter of the championship for both teams.

While Zambia was being given a veritable shellacking, South Africa sadly suffered a cruel blow in their opening match against Sweden, with the Europeans dramatically grabbing the winner in the very last minute to earn a slim 2-1 victory.

What made the loss all the more heartbreaking for South Africa was the fact that they were the first to take the lead just after half-time, to the utter ecstasy of their many fans.

Indeed, thus far, it has been a tale of contrasting fortunes for African teams at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Hopefully, though, our representatives will soon begin to pick up morale-boosting victories, which is critical if they are to realize their goal of leaving a lasting positive impression.