# Falilat Ogunkoya

Falilat Ogunkoya-Osheku (born 5 December 1968) is a Nigerian former track and field athlete who holds the distinction of becoming the first Nigerian to win an individual track and field medal at the Olympic games.

## Quotes

* Government is spending so much on football. Though I am not against that, but it’s advisable for it to shift a little and show more interest in other sports, such as track and field.
** Ogunkoya advise government on focusing on track and field sport in 2019.
* The responsibilities of impacting the right attitude and adequate training can only be achieved by professionals in the industry.
** Ogunkoya on establishment of a Sports Commission in 2019.
* When you look at the idea behind the race, it is meant to promote peace. And so any thing that will bring peace to this country must be supported.
** Ogunkoya on Warri Peace Marathon in 2018.
* At that level, you don’t wait for anybody, it is your career and you have to work very hard to achieve your goals.
** Ogunkoya spoke on thirst for hard work in 2018.
* My goal has always been to help our athletics a blend of the old and new by encouraging them.
** Ogunkoya spoke on her goals in 2017.
* When you are a top athlete in the world, if you marry the person on the track with you, whenever you travel, both of you can go together since you do the same thing.
** Ogunkoya talk about athlete marriages in 2017.
* For me, each race was like a hurdle that I must jump over.
** Ogunkoya on her races in 2017.
* Motherhood is such an indescribable feeling; it’s the best thing in the world. I think all women should go through the experience to understand what I’m saying.
** Ogunkoya spoke on motherhood in 2017.
* I am very passionate about the plight of the less-privileged and I wish that I could set up a foundation to cater for their needs.
** Ogunkoya describe her interests apart from sport in 2017.
* When the ovation is loudest, it’s not when people start saying what else do you want. Because sometimes it’s better to give the young ones a chance to come up, it’s not that some people don’t want to leave, it’s because Nigeria don’t appreciate their own.
** Falilat spoke on retirement age in 2016.
* You should not worry about what is going on around you because whatever that’s going on is to distract you, but if you keep on focusing and you talk with the right people, when you talk to one person and that person wants to discourage you, you know that you don’t need such a person, but when you talk to another and he encourages you, you know that the person is your friend that wants you to progress.
** Falilat spoke on having the right people in 2016.
* if you keep on working at it, with all your mind and people say they see you everyday passing by to the stadium to train and one day when they see you on the pitch for an international tournament the people will remember how you always went for training every morning, passing through their area all the time, that’s it, you don’t have to give up.
** Falilat on how to make it as an athlete in 2016.
* There are things that matter in sports. You may train an athlete for months and you think that the athlete is good enough to win a medal but on the day it matters the athlete gets into an overwhelming stadium with 80,000 spectators shouting and the athlete freezes.
** Ogunkoya spoke about olympic sport in 2012.
* My parents bought me my first running shoe , My coach John Afuwape gave my first Spike shoe in 1980.
** Ogunkoya spoke on her early career in 2020.
* Some of the athletes of this generation need to be ready to work harder and not to be telling their coaches that the work load is too much. They must realise that only hard work, determination and discipline can take them to the top of their careers.
** Ogunkoya admonished new athletes in 2020.
* Sometimes you look back in life despite what you have achieved and wished you did some things better, I wish I had listened to my coach to run 400hurdle and put more effort in 200m and 800m.
** Ogunkoya recalled her races in 2020.

## Quotes about Falilat Ogunkoya

* Growing up and seeing my mother representing Nigeria as an athlete, I always wanted to be like her. Whenever I watched her races and how she ran so well, I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps, and like her, my goal is to one day participate in the Olympics.
** Tony Osheku spoke about her mother, Falilat Ogunkoya in 2016.
* My mother taught me to be hard working. She instilled that in me from my childhood days.
** Tony spoke on the values Faliat instilled in him in 2016.