I am an athletics coach by profession and occupation. I love statistics, and data collection on athletes is my hobby. As a former decathlete, I simply love all classes of events in athletics, but I definitely have a soft spot for hurdling. Give me 10 athletes to train, and I’ll condition them all as hurdlers first!
My stories here will reflect everything I’ve highlighted above, with added insights into what’s brewing and coming for the athletes I’ll be analyzing. Yes, I am an analytical statistician engaged by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. Every Friday, I will be sharing my thoughts here on Bold Sports in my column titled ‘Sloektan Analytical Statistics: Insights on track & field.’ Expect in-depth analysis, data-driven predictions, and a fresh perspective on the world of athletics.
Impossibilities hardly exist among elite athletes pursuing their dreams of achieving Olympic glory in our beloved sport. When a barrier seems insurmountable, someone with the right zeal and commitment crosses it — and soon, others follow, surpassing that achievement and setting new standards for the next generation.
Two key athletes have achieved Olympic greatness from humble beginnings. One is the Female Athlete of the Year in 2024, while the other retired from athletics in 2023 after an illustrious career as a track athlete and road runner.

These two Olympic legends share a similar background: both moved from Africa to Europe and became naturalized citizens of notable European nations. Interestingly, neither excelled as juniors on the global stage. One could only boast of a European U20 5,000m title for nearly a decade, often finishing at the back of the pack in global races.
Winning an Olympic medal is the dream of elite athletes. Becoming a champion? That’s a notch higher — the reserve of the best of the best.
Take Mo Farah, for example. He didn’t just win gold at the London 2012 Olympics; he doubled it, winning both the 5,000m and 10,000m — the longest track events at championships. He repeated the feat at the Rio 2016 Olympics, cementing his place in history.
Then there’s Sifan Hassan, who blew my mind when she set out to compete in all three long-distance events at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She won bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and capped it off with a marathon gold in the same Games. Her boldness to challenge across multiple distances was inspiring.

Interestingly, neither Farah nor Hassan holds a world record in their main events. Yet, they defeated world leaders and record holders to achieve Olympic excellence. In fact, Farah became the most decorated Olympic long-distance runner with four gold medals across two Games.
This brings me to the sprint hurdles. Two of the sport’s queens have tasted world-record success but are still chasing that elusive Olympic gold.
My first post for Bold Sports will be filled with analytical data, giving us a glimpse of what could happen by the LA 2028 Olympics.
Thank you for reading my opening piece. Now, get ready to dive into the world of the women’s 100m hurdles, where I’ll be making my first Bold Sports statement:
TWO SPRINT HURDLES QUEENS’ QUESTS FOR GREATNESS BEYOND THEIR WORLD RECORD FEATS.
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