Nigeria’s Simidele Adeagbo Competes in IBSF World Cup Finale in Altenberg

Nigerian slider Simidele Adeagbo took to the ice today for her final IBSF World Cup race of the 2025/26 season in the women’s monobob event at Altenberg.

Starting first in the field, she set the pace for Heat 1 at 10:00 AM CET and Heat 2 at 11:30 AM CET, with live coverage streamed on the official IBSF YouTube channel.

Adeagbo, who transitioned from U.S. track and field to skeleton at age 37, made history as Africa’s first female skeleton Olympian at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. After switching to monobob, she has consistently delivered top-10 finishes in Europe Cup competitions, overcome injuries, and launched the Sleighing Without Limits initiative to promote African women’s participation in winter sports.

The Altenberg finale doubles as a crucial rehearsal for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, with qualification points closing on January 18. Support has poured in from Nigeria’s diaspora community, including the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), which praised her trailblazing role in inspiring the nation. Fans echoed the call to “bring that Naija heat,” celebrating her courage and representation of the Green-White-Green flag on the global stage.

The women’s monobob competition features elite contenders such as defending World Cup leader Laura Nolte of Germany and Bree Walker of Australia, both vying for crystal trophies and overall standings. Adeagbo’s participation underscores the growing African presence in winter sports as athletes sharpen their form ahead of Olympic qualification.