Grande Prairie connection to Winter Games team from Nigeria
For the first time ever, athletes are representing the African country of Nigeria at the Winter Olympics, and the team has a connection to Grande Prairie.
Nigeria’s skeleton racer, Simidele Adeagbo, is using the sled and other equipment that was previously used by Swan City product Michelle Kelly.
Kelly says this came about after she did some coaching for some other competitors.
“I had met this athlete from Nigeria. She asked if I would take her for a track walk in Calgary. Then, it came up that she didn’t have any equipment, so I ended up (getting) all my equipment that I used to race on ready for her and getting it all together, getting her a racing suit, just trying to help out because she really had nobody and hadn’t really seen the sport. I don’t know how much snow she’s ever seen.”