Olayinka Olajide, also known as AJ Gold, like a bolt out of the blue, came out to win the women 100m race of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria African Games trials at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba Delta State.
Olajide was a delight to watch as she sprinted away to a personal best of 11.19 seconds to announce her arrival in the Nigerian and world athletics.
The trials were her first major meet in three years, having taken time off the tracks to rearrange her focus.
She gushed that now she has arrived at the scene, there is nowhere to go but up in the ladder of athletics.
“The vision is there and I’m not going to stop now,” said the Ogun State born University graduate who also has a passion for politics.
“I just have to go back and work more on myself. My starting is slow, sometimes I run out, instead of pushing from the blocks.
“Also my transmission and using my hands correctly, these are things I need to work and it gives me confidence I can do better and do much more.”
Born to parents who themselves are sports enthusiasts, Olajide said she is not lacking motivation, and must now totally embrace track and field.
“I’m like if others can do it, so can I. My mom and dad are so much into sports, but they did take it higher, so I want to go all out.
“Before running most of my races, I usually watch the videos of Shelly Ann-Fraser Pryce and on the home side I love Blessing Okagbare.
“There are a lot of things to look forward to, when get to the bridge we’ll cross it. My performance would speak for me, from here I am going back to training, it is the best time to train, having done 11.19, I have to double my efforts.
“My nick name is AJ Gold and definitely the gold will come,” said the athlete coached by Olalekan Adegbote.
She added that she was looking forward to the African Games next month and the much more bigger Olympics stage.
“I did not run at all last season, stayed away for one year but was training, Though I felt disappointed not competing, my coach assured me that he was cooking something and what is coming ahead is much bigger than what I’m expecting.
“So the trials is just a starting point; running the Olympics standard of 11.07 is not just my target by doing a 10.9,” said Olajide who has a craving for junk food.
“I’ve had lots of quarrel with my coach about my choice of diet. Normally I don’t eat much, so when I get hungry I just take what’s readily available. But as professional athlete I know I have to note the importance of my diet,” she said.