Five times National Sports Festival gold medallist, Godfirst Sampson has explained to www.aclsports.com why she cannot choose education over Karate.
The former multiple National Youth Games Champion revealed that some of her lecturers told her to take her mind off the National Sports Festival in Delta State and choose between education and sports.
The 200 level undergraduate of Human Kinetics at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) plans to focus on Exercise Physiology in her Masters Degree.
The 20 years old Karateka could not hide her joy winning her fifth gold medal at her third National Sports Festival after dominating the National Youth Games for three years.
Aclsports: What does it feel like to eventually win your fifth gold medal at the National Sports Festival?
Sampson: My first National Sports Festival in 2018 at Abuja, I won a gold medal while representing Rivers State in the women’s -55kg category. My second National Sports Festival at Edo 2020, I won two gold medals in the women’s -55kg category (individual) and team event representing Edo state and at the 21st National Sports Festival in Delta State, I won two gold medals in the women’s -55kg category and Team Event. In total, I have won five gold medals in three National Sports Festivals. I am overwhelmed and cannot believe a young girl like me can achieve such feat.
Aclsports: Will you say the African Senior Karate Championship you attended a few days to the Festival contributed to your level of performance?
Sampson: The African Senior Karate Championship before the National Sports Festival in Delta State added to my experience and it gave me the daring spirit to go all out on the mat. For you to be selected to represent your country at that kind of championship, it means you are one of the best in that category. A day after winning the bronze medal at the 2022 African Senior Karate Championship, I started my quest for honours at the 21st National Sports Festival. If I had won a silver medal at the National Sports Festival, it would have meant I was not fit to be at that position. I had tougher opponents at the African Championship and made the Festival very easy.
Aclsports: How have you been able to cope with mixing education and sports together?
Sampson: Mixing education and sports have been hell; balancing both is challenging. I was literally the best in camp as we prepared for the National Sports Festival and all of a sudden, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called off their strike action.
I became the most confused athlete on earth because three most important things in my life clashed on the same day. My school resumption date, the arrival date of the 21st National Sports Festival as well as the 2022 African Senior Karate Championship were on 28th November, 2022. Fortunately for me, I was to compete for Delta State and I had to deliver the gold medal in my weight class; it was hell for me so I decided to pray fervently and I got distracted because while training I was seeing updates from School on when the examination would take place.
I met with some of my lecturers and few said I should take my mind off the National Sports Festival in Delta State and choose between my education and sports. That was one of the worst statements to tell an active athlete; to choose between school and education. I got in touch with another lecturer and he told me to get a letter from the Karate Federation of Nigeria through the Minister of Sports, Course Adviser, Dean to the Vice Chancellor; I almost wept.
For me, sports has always been the one bankrolling my education and telling me to choose between sports and education is telling me to drop out of school. At the end of the day, how will I be able to keep my education because I need sports to finance my education. There will be no way I will drop sports because how will I keep on sponsoring my education,
There were lots of students that were athletes and wanted to participate at the National Sports Festival. The question I was asking myself was why the Student-Athletes were not considered; I was thinking we would come together and get a date to come write our examinations. Some athletes I knew differed in their administration because of the National Sports Festival and this became scary.
When Delta State called for camp, I went with faith because I had some friends who were in their final year in school; they did not bother attending the festival. Some went for the festival and differed in their admission while few shuttled between Asaba and their schools; it was horrible. I was prepared before the camp was called but while training during camp, I got distracted and mentally down; I had a series of tests and assignments. I missed some tests during the National Sports Festival and I know it is going to affect me.
Finally, a miracle happened because of the series of prayers I embarked upon. Surprisingly, they postponed the examination for my level (200) and 100 level; I ought to be in 400 level but my plans got stalled by the incessant strike action and COVID-19 pandemic.
They shifted by examination but 300 level and 400 level went ahead with theirs while my own was 18th December; I was over excited though I missed some tests. After scaling the hurdles of examinations, the leadership of the Karate Federation of Nigeria were very smart and took charge of the schedule for the National Sports Festival; they put everything in a way the Festival would not affect the African Senior Karate Championship in South Africa. We went to South Africa and it ended on the 5th of December and met up with the Karate event two days later. The stress was much on me but to God be the Glory, I delivered two gold medals for Team Delta.
Aclsports: Do you have any regrets becoming a sports woman?
Sampson: I do not have any regrets becoming a sports woman though there are barriers that want to pull one down which I think it’s part of life. The challenges are very normal whether it’s sports, business, vocational etc, it is usual for them to come. If you are not challenged, probably one will be stagnant and always remain at that same level. For me, becoming a sports woman is a gift from heaven; I knew myself loving sports from a tender age.
Aclsports: If you had not ventured into sports, what are the other things you would have done?
Sampson: If I had not ventured into sports, I see myself going full time into science, basically Human Biology (I love Biology from day 1). I am studying Human Kinetics at the University of Lagos and it is more like sports and science; we do anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, mathematics and sports related courses. I am hoping my Masters Degree will be in Exercise Physiology or make a bolder step for Sports Medicine. I love to involve sports and medicine together; that is the first reason I went for Human Kinetics or I will start all over again as a Physiotherapist.
If you’re talking about my hobby, I love to sing but I’m a bit of an introvert and I don’t think I would have made it in my musical career because I am not a party type. I hope after my Bachelor’s degree, luck will smile on me and do my Master’s outside the country as a Sports Medical Personnel. I don’t know how it feels like not thinking about sports or something competitive.
Aclsports: Your final words Godfirst Samson
Sampson: Above all, I want to thank God for making me take part at the 2022 African Senior Karate Championship and 21st National Sports Festival as well as completing my examinations. I thought I would be sacrificing any of the three but God was too faithful to me; I did not rest after the festival because I went straight into the examination hall
