July - September 2017 •
The Lion King
• 21
Seye made the final. He made the
Nigerian team for the Olympics.
‘I was the youngest on the team.
Unfortunately Nigeria hadn’t qualified
for the relay and his time wasn’t good
enough for the individual sport.
He made the Nigerian team, but he
wasn’t going to the Olympics.
In 2013, he got injured again and
decided to move on from training
with Prince. He was now training with
Michael Afilaka who has coached
Ashley Neslon, Adam Gemili and a
host of other successful athletes. Prince
became assistant coach to Afilaka.
In 2014, he made the Nigerian team
for the Common Wealth games in
Scotland. They didn’t have anyone run-
ning the 200m and asked Seye to do so.
‘I hadn’t run in the 200 since 2010. I
stepped into the stadium with 40,000
watching me wear my country’s
colours. I never wanted that moment
to leave me.’
Seye ran 21.10 in the 200m. The fol-
lowing year, he ran 10.19 in 100m at
Loughborough and did the same in
the Nigerian trials. Where he became
the Nigerian champion.
Seye had become the fastest man in
Nigeria and his father was so proud
of him. ‘ He was like: you my son, you
are a Nigerian champion. You are the
best in Nigeria. I think its time for me to
start supporting you now’.
Fast forward to 2016 and Seye
Ogunlewe was a different athlete. ‘
I started competing with the best in
the world. Different countries. Different
meets. Everyone knew Seye as the
Nigerian champion. I ran everywhere.
I still wanted to make the Olympics.
Seye got the qualifying standard on
the last day. He ran 10.12 and made
the Olympics for 2016.
‘It was a very good year for me.
I made the Olympics. I graduated
from school with my Law and Politics
degree.’
‘I decided to set new goals as I had
achieved one. It was good rubbing
shoulders at the Olympic village with
Michael Phelps, Murray, Kevin Duran…
they are all just normal people and
so chill. Those guys were having fun.
Nothing was getting to them. And this
is what I decided I would be. That chill
guy that just enjoys sports.’
This UBA ambassador wants to inspire
young people to dream. ‘ I have a lot
I would still love to do even if I don’t
become the best in the world. I want
to write a book about my story so that
young kids can see how much of a
difference it makes when you follow
your dreams. I want them to know that
if they keep at it, one day they will get
to the goal’.
As we end the interview, Seye assures
me “ I am going to the Olympics in
2020 and I need to prepare my body,
my mind and my soul’.
I certainly will be glued to the screens
when the tenacious young man gets
to the Olympics as there is no doubt
we will be hearing much more about
Seye Ogunlewe in the years to come.
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