Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medalist in women’s 53kg weightlifting class, Onome Omolola Didih has come out with a down-to-earth to earth confession that she cannot eat or drink whatever she wants nor take medication anyhow, because she is afraid of anti-doping rules.
Sports247 reports that the 22-year-old lifter, who broke three world records en route to her gold medal achievement in Glasgow, Scotland, added that she also has to maintain self-discipline and watch her daily activities in order to retain her weight eligibility.
Didih disclosed this and much more during Athlete’s Corner segment of Sports247’s television programme, ‘Inside Naija Sports,’ which streams online via YouTube and airs every Saturday at 12pm on NTA News 24.
The 2026 African Weightlifting Championship gold medalist added that she also engages in fashion design as a profession whenever training sessions are reduced after competitions, as she needs to keep herself busy, while also earning some extra money on the side.
However, Didih stopped short of stating categorically whether it’s difficult or easy to survive as a sports personality in Nigeria, choosing instead to point out that being successful in any aspect of life takes a lot of dedication, patience and commitment.
“I’m a fashion designer, and I do it when I’m less busy. Although I do it mostly to keep myself busy, I also use it to get some extra money. One really needs money to survive after attending competitions.
“I won’t say it’s difficult to survive as a sports person in Nigeria, and I won’t say it’s easy either. It’s always both ways, depending on how you go about it.
“At some point, you may wonder what you are doing in sports, but you still have to keep on pushing yourself, because you believe there’s a lot you can get in return when you reach the top.”
She admitted that things have started becoming rosy for her since she began to represent Nigeria internationally, but quickly interjected that anyone who is just starting should keep on trying until their breakthrough comes.
“When you get to the top, you’ll get rewards for all your efforts. But, before you get there, you have to discipline yourself, and you have to be patient, knowing that you must pass through various stages before you start making money in sports.
“You have to go through various levels before you get on the pay row. Even at that point too, you must know that you have to share your money with certain people.
“As a sports person, you may get paid N70,000 or N80,000 a month, but it’s not for you alone. There are people supporting you who you have to settle.
“Personally, I also know that, before I got to this stage in sports, I had to depend on my parents and coach. So, I have to remember them when I get any money from the same sports that they encouraged me to get into,” Didih conceded.
She then reeled out words of gratitude to the coach who put her through from the beginning, when she was a starry-eyed lass who was taken by her mother (now late) to learn the rudiments of weightlifting at a tender age.
“I have to thank Coach Ene, because he has always been supporting me. He would always ask me before we started training if I had eaten. If I say, ‘No,’ be will give me money to go to the canteen and eat whatever I wanted.
“He would always give us multivitamins after each training session. I was also under my parents, who would always support me with any money that I needed. So, while growing up, I really did not feel the financial strain so much,” Didih recalled.
She concluded with a word of caution to up and coming sports talents to watch the medications they take and also be cautious of anything they want to consume so that they would not run foul of anyi-doping regulations that guide against the use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes.
“It’s important that we take note of the medical aspect of sports. As a sports person, you have to be mindful of whatever you eat or drink. We are normally advised to take proteins and a lot of water, but you also have to be careful with that.
“That’s because we have to watch out for anti-doping rules, and they normally carry out drug tests on us. So, whatever we are using in our body, we just have to be very careful.
“All the same, my advice for younger ones is that they just have to keep pushing, endure all situations, and discipline themselves. Self-discipline is most important; because, if you don’t discipline yourself, who will discipline you?” Didih concluded rhetorically.
