NSIF ATHLETIC CLUB: AT THE SCHOOL OF AN AFRICAN CHAMPION
The athletes of the NSIF Athletic Club received a visit from the famous sprinter Emmanuel Eseme Alobwede, during a training session at the Matéco Stadium of the University of Yaounde 1 in Ngoa Ekelle.
Saturday, March 15th, 2025, was not a day like any other for the NSIF club's athletes. While they were having their morning training session, as usual, in the company of their coach, they received a visit from compatriot Emmanuel Eseme Alobwede, the gold medallist in the 100m at the Accra 2024 Games.
The 11th-ranked sprinter in the world is on a short private stay in Cameroon and was keen to share with his cadets the tips that have made him the best in his sport. It was an emotional moment of conviviality for those with whom the champion has shared the track as a team at national meetings. The stakes of his presence momentarily halted the training session. Then, the coach demanded that his youngsters pay close attention to the most experienced voice in the discipline.
Thirty minutes was all the athletics specialist needed to boost the morale of the youngsters. He recounted his experiences in Cameroon and Portugal, where he continued his training, the reasons behind his determination to become the best in his discipline, and above all, his techniques for pre and post-competition physical preparation. It was a powerful talk that left no athlete indifferent. They asked him around twenty questions relating to his mental preparation before races, his handling of opponents, his unusual but exceptional career and his specific exercises. “During my first race, I looked at my opponents like a fan looks at his idols, and that’s a psychological defeat. Today it's different. It is all about respect and fair play, I want to be the best. I've set for myself the goal of not being beaten twice by the same athlete in a meeting or competition”, says Emmanuel Eseme, adding: “Know how to control your body. Sleep is the best way to recover and also eat properly. We do a lot of physical activity, and that requires rest. Do some research that will help you to know yourself better, and be disciplined and ambitious. Follow your coach's instructions, they know this better than you do. Talk less during sessions and listen more. It will benefit you”.
The exchange, which was both studious and friendly, ended with a family photo. “Emma” thanked the Director General of the NSIF for his sense of excellence and his strong belief in the Cameroonian youth. “You are fortunate that the Director General of the NSIF believes in you. We didn't have the same privileges as you, so try not to disappoint him,” he told his young compatriots.
As the NSIF Athletic Club takes part in the second day of the interclub meeting scheduled for the 22nd and 23rd of March 2025, this visit will be a great boost to the morale of the club's athletes from the Social Security Institution, whose ambition is to fly the flag of Cameroon even higher.
