Relationship

Veronica Chika Iweanya – I want to play for The D’Tigress of Nigeria

Veronica Chika Iweanya is a lot of joy to be with. Always smiling and full of emotion, the 24-year-old shared some incredible stories about her life during an Instagram Live session. Currently based in Lille in northern France, the Nigerian basketball star has come a long way in both her career and her sports.

After graduating with a first-class bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the prestigious Covenant University, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria in 2017, he traveled to France for his master’s degree in 2019 and continued his love affair with basketball. Standing at 183cm (6ft) tall, the Lagos-born basketball player shared her love of the game. A game she developed a passion for due to the desire of players and coaches to help her develop the skills necessary to excel in the sport.

A defining moment in her basketball career would be at the Africa Giants International Camp in 2018, where she was selected as part of the top 50 girls to attend her first ever women’s camp in Nigeria. The Masai Ujiri initiative sponsored by Nike and the president of the Toronto Raptors brought in the best coaches from around the world who guided the campers in both basketball and life skills. She says that Masai always told the children to dream big. But what stuck with her was the mantra “I’m a giant!” that was repeated throughout the camp. To this day, she says that she still says it like a mantra before every match, tryout, interview, etc.

Regarding the ease of combining studies and sports activities, Veronica Chika Iweanya confessed how difficult it was for her to adapt at first. The French language was a serious obstacle for her to settle down. It was very difficult to settle in with her basketball team since all of her classmates and teammates spoke French. She was forced to learn French and her basketball coach was quick to come to her aid, setting aside an hour before each practice day for that purpose. ‘The amazing support system I found around me made it easy for me to adjust so quickly’

As he learned the French language, things began to improve a bit, as did his performance on the basketball court. An added incentive was when she came into contact with Nigerian national basketball player Evelyn Akhator, who coincidentally joined the French basketball team Flammes Carolo. The Ardennes-based outfit signed the exciting centre-forward in 2019. Veronica, whose ambition is to play for The D’Tigress, has since developed a professional relationship with Evelyn Akhator. She sees her as a mentor and a person who has paid her her fair share in the game.

Sport has received its fair share of racism and Veronica confirmed from her personal experience that she has been lucky not to experience it in France. Interestingly, during away games with her basketball team (she found herself fouling more frequently than when they played at home) she fouls him more frequently than when they play at home.

When asked about the contentious issue of equal pay between male and female athletes, he expressed disgust at the disparity because if female basketball players are expected to dunk, for example, then they should be paid the same as their male counterparts. . She sees no reason why male athletes should be paid higher, to the extent that women have to traverse even more difficult terrain in their career and sports.

On the French government’s plans to ease the lockdown from Monday May 11 and the possibility of sports activities returning to normal, Veronica expressed her honest opinion, saying that she would have preferred the pandemic to have been fully clarified before that such measures be taken. implemented. Sports like basketball are contact based and the level of risk is high, so it would be good, for safety reasons, to ensure that players are not exposed to such a high risk.

It’s easy to name your favorite player, especially when that player has been a great role model to you. Evelyn Akhator is her favorite player (with her fans at 10 points and 10 rebounds) in every game, Veronica confessed that she greatly influenced her playing style since she also averaged double-double in her career university. She also mentioned her resilience and mental toughness as key skills that she admired in the Nigerian basketball star. while the Nigerian women’s national team, The D’Tigress, remains her favorite team. He recalled stories of her during her undergraduate years, having her entire office where she interned watch a live D’Tigress game during office hours where Sarah Ogoke fired a winning 3-pointer in the final seconds of the Afrobasket tournament a few seconds ago. years. !

Currently playing with the Stade Roubaisien Basket that competes in the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), he joyfully shared the news of having completed his master’s program at EDHEC Business School, Lille, France. The journey has not been an easy one, but in a message to her fans, she expressed optimism about achieving her goals of playing for the Nigerian women’s national team- The D’Tigress, a sentiment I echoed based on the fact that she has the potential. to excel at the highest level in career and sports.

An amazing fact about this talented basketball star is that he would have opted for soccer if he hadn’t fallen in love with his first love. You may be wondering what position she would choose on a soccer field. Defense, of course, was the answer. It’s not hard to understand knowing that the attackers would be competing with a mighty 6ft defensive bulwark that weighs 67kg. Not the most exciting prospect for even the most ambitious attacker. For now, the love affair between VerĂ³nica and basketball continues. Tomorrow is full of possibilities and hopefully one will get to see Veronica Chika Iweanya donning The D’Tigress’s beautiful green white t-shirt!