Ike Onwukanjo, a Rugby player with the University of Buffalo (UB) in the United States on Tuesday said he was optimistic the country would qualify for the 2016 Olympic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“I will use my aggressive play, stamina and the efforts of my team mates to ensure that the nation will qualify for the Rio Olympics,’’ Onwukanjo said from his base in the U.S.
“I am happy to be invited by the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF). I am excited about being invited back for these tournaments.
“I love being able to play at a highest level; to play at the international stage is an amazing experience. I plan to do what I always do and playing to the best of my abilities in any given game and I pray God helps me”.
The player, however, added that the country was blessed with enormous talents in the sport. “Nigeria has a lot of potential, my teammates are great and the skills are definitely there. I would like to see us at the Olympics; I feel we are capable of getting there but it will not by any means be easy because a lot of countries want to feature at the Games.
“With hard work and commitment, we will excel,” he said.
Onwukanjo has been invited to attend the Independence 7’s tournament to between October 24 and October 25 in Lagos.
He would also be representing the country at the Africa Cup 7’s tournament scheduled to run from November 13 to November 15 in Johannesburg that would serve as an Olympic qualifier.
Nigeria has been drawn in Pool B, alongside Zimbabwe, Uganda and Zambia.
