Adaku Nwandu, a seventeen-year-old Nigerian swimmer, is aiming for a new personal best as she prepares to compete for Nigeria in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Nwandu, who was born in China to a Nigerian father and a Chinese mother, began representing his country after competing in the 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba.
Although her father is from Enugu, she represented Bayelsa in Asaba 2022 and helped create a new national mark of 9:28:30 in the 4x200m freestyle women’s swimming event.
She qualified for the Olympics based on her World Aquatics (FINA) rating, and she will compete in the women’s 50 m freestyle on Saturday.
“It feels so real, and I feel so excited. I have never expected this to happen in my swimming career, but I’m excited to be here among all these amazing athletes,” Nwandu said via Making of Champions.
“I definitely want to get a new personal best here. From my experience, I just try not to overthink. I just want to be able to focus and think more clearly; I’m just taking it as easy as possible,” she added.
From the World Aquatics website, Nwandu’s best time in the women’s 50m freestyle is 25.60s, which she produced at the 10th Singapore National Championships in November 2023.
She also reflected on how her journey in swimming started.
“I started swimming when I was eight years old. At a school competition, I didn’t do so well, and I asked my dad if I could get something if I did better, and he promised me ice cream once every week.”
The women’s 50m freestyle is Team Nigeria’s only event on Saturday, and she is in heat 6 along with seven other swimmers.
Only the fastest 16 of the 79 swimmers in the event will qualify for the semifinals.
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