By Hananeel Jackson

Bayelsa -born Olympic bound athlete Tima Godbless has appealed to stakeholders in the State to encourage young athletes to excel and achieve their potential.

17 -year old Tima who hails from Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa said lack of motivation after major competition and poor nutrition has been a challenge for many athletes.

She noted that competing alongside veteran sprinters like Blessing Okagbare, Grace Nwokocha and Rosemary Chukwuma in the National Olympics trials recently in Lagos in 100 and 200 meters race in Lagos has boosted her morale.

Though she did not qualify in the personal race but the young Timma made the Nigeria’s women relay quartet to the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics, saying that participating in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics games would be a dream come through at this early stage of her career.

She stated that the competitive nature of the recent trials and the Lagos Athletics Open, gave her a great platform to improve on her personal best of 11.39 secs in 100 metres to 11.06 while she also set a new personal best in 200 metres of 23.04 secs as against the 23.07 secs at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival.

While thanking God for her career, the teenage sprinter lauded Governor Douye Diri for adopting her alongside another Olympics bound Bayelsa wrestler, Blessing Oboruduru, for special attention.

The two athletes are the only Bayelsans who have qualified for the Olympics.

Timma stated that her dream was to excel in the Olympics as well being a good ambassador to the State.

Tima who intend to study Political Science in the University opined that her dreams was to study outside the country, to enable her access great training facilities to enhance her career.

Tima Godbless specially thanked her coaches and teammates for the massive support and fatherly role they have played for her to get to compete with top athletes in the country.