Visa Welcomes the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team to Team Visa for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018
16 November 2017 - 12:00AM
Business Wire
Inspired by their determination, Visa helps
pave the way to PyeongChang for this group of Olympic hopefuls
Visa (NYSE:V) today announced the addition of three athletes who
make up the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team to Team Visa, currently
training to become the first ever African representatives, men or
women, to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games in the sport of
Bobsled. Together, Bobsled pilot Seun Adigun, and brakemen Ngozi
Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga, combine their elite track backgrounds
to chase their bobsled dreams.
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Visa Welcomes the Nigerian Women’s
Bobsled Team to Team Visa for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang
2018. From left to right: brakeman Ngozi Onwumere, pilot Seun
Adigun, and brakeman Akuoma Omeoga. (Photo: Business Wire)
Without access to proper training equipment or valuable ice time
to perfect their skills, the members of the Nigerian Women’s
Bobsled Team started their journey on the snow-less grounds of
Houston, Texas, in a wooden sled they nicknamed ‘The Maeflower.’
Once the team set their sights on the Olympic Winter Games
PyeongChang 2018, they established a crowdfunding website hoping to
raise the much-needed funds to get to PyeongChang. Upon discovering
the page, Visa was inspired by their story and determination to
carve out a place in history and pledged to help solidify the
team’s trip to the Olympic Winter Games.
“When we first heard their story we recognized the collective
spirit of these athletes as a perfect fit for Team Visa,” said
Chris Curtin, chief brand and innovation marketing officer at Visa.
“By joining Team Visa, we hope to provide this group of determined
athletes with a global stage to tell their story and inspire
athletes all over the world to follow their dreams and never give
up.”
The athleticism and determination of each member of the Nigerian
Women’s Bobsled Team is palpable, as they push to rewrite history
in their sport:
- Seun Adigun (Nigeria, Bobsled
Driver): Adigun represented Nigeria in the 100m hurdles at the
London 2012 Olympic Games. Wanting to get back on the Olympic
stage, she began training for bobsled in 2014.
- Ngozi Onwumere (Nigeria, Bobsled
Breakmen): Onwumere, a former competitive sprinter, clinched a
Silver and Gold medal at the 2015 African Games in Republic of the
Congo in the 200m and 4x100m relay, respectively. Onwumere started
training after being recruited by Adigun in 2016.
- Akuoma Omeoga (Nigeria, Bobsled
Breakmen): Omeoga is a graduate of the University of Minnesota
where she was a sprinter for the university’s track and field team,
competing in the 100m and 200m races. The Olympic Winter Games
PyeongChang 2018 will be the first time she is representing
Nigeria.
“Already the support and encouragement we have felt as part of
Team Visa has been a dream come true,” said Seun Adigun, driver of
the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team. “We are proud to be part of a
team that shares our mission and has connected us with the
resources we needed to reach our goal, and hopefully empower others
to do the same.”
Since the program began in 2000, Team Visa has supported over
400 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes and hopefuls by providing them
with the tools, resources and support they need to reach their
highest potential, regardless of origin or background. Team Visa
features a diverse group of Olympic and Paralympic athletes who
embody our core values – acceptance, partnership and innovation –
and was cultivated with the global reach of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in mind.
The women of the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team joins Team Visa’s
diverse roster of athletes, which includes: Mikaela Shiffrin
(USA), Chloe Kim (USA), Gus Kenworthy (USA),
Hilary Knight (USA), Oksana Masters (USA), Mark
McMorris (Canada), Lee Sang-Hwa (South Korea), Kamil
Stoch (Poland) and others.
For additional information on Team Visa, follow along at
@VisaNews on Twitter and visit www.visa.com.
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is the world’s leader in digital payments.
Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative,
reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals,
businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing
network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the
world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction
messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is
a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any
device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future
for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to
digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and
scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information,
visit usa.visa.com/aboutvisa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.
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Visa Inc.Bitsy Rich, 415-813-7252erich@visa.comorSarah Hamblen,
415-728-7268shamblen@visa.com
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