Nigerian cycling star Ese Lovina Ukpeaeraye has revealed she borrowed a bike from the German team to compete at the Paris Olympics.
Ukpeaeraye, who was unexpectedly scheduled to compete in the keirin and sprint events, found herself without a bicycle due to short notice.
The German cycling federation, Bund Deutscher Radfahrer, stepped in to offer her a bike, saving her from potential disqualification.
Ukpeaeraye expressed her gratitude on social media: Due to the short notice of me competing at the keirin & Sprint, #teamNigeria I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks. In d spirit of sportsmanship the German team @bunddeutscherradfahr came to my rescue by offering me a bicycle. Thank you
Ukpeaeraye is Nigeria’s first Olympic cyclist. She won the road race at the 2023 African Continental Championships in Accra, Ghana, after taking up the sport seriously in 2013.
This act of kindness has been hailed as embodying the Olympic spirit, with athletes and teams supporting each other in pursuit of excellence.
The incident is being described as one of the most inspiring moments of the Paris Games.
