University of Michigan Athlete Is the First Gymnast to Compete for Nigeria at the Olympic Games
Nigerian American gymnast Uche Eke is making history at the Tokyo Olympics, as he’s the first gymnast to compete for Nigeria at the games.
Eke, 32, is a University of Michigan gymnast. He has duel citizenship and decided to compete for Nigeria to bring a history-making moment for the country.
He spoke with CNN about his love for Nigeria, stating, “Personally, I always identified as a Nigerian. My dad always tells me: if someone says something good or how did you do this? How did you do that? He says, ‘because it’s African blood.’ So, I’ve been saying that for a while, as a joke, of course, but seriously at the same time.”
He added, “My name is Uche, and I will say that I didn’t like the name when I was growing up, because people would try to make fun of me and mispronounce it, and it was really getting on my nerves. But now people are getting used to the name Uche and they love it, and I love it too.
We’re proud of you, Eke!
Related: USA’s Women’s/Men’s Olympic Gymnastics Team
