Why I Choose Athletics Over Football – Patience Okon George

Nigeria’s 400m queen, Patience Okon George, has revealed that choosing athletics over football remains the biggest decision she has ever made, despite initially dreaming of a career on the football field.

In an interview on the sidelines of the AFN Commonwealth Games Trials, the 34-year-old multiple African champion reflected on the difficult choices that have shaped her extraordinary career.

Fresh from winning the women’s 400m title at the trials, Okon George revealed that football, not athletics, was her first love.

“At first, running track wasn’t my goal because I played soccer while also doing track and field,” he said.

The Olympian explained that her passion for soccer became so strong that her then coach, Coach Ogunike, gave her an ultimatum to choose between the two sports.

“It got to the point where I was living with Coach Ogunike while I was in high school. One day, I was at the soccer field when he called me and asked, ‘Patience, which event do you want to choose?’ I told him I loved football and wanted to choose it. Then he said that if football was my choice, I would have to return to my family. So I packed my bags and went home because football was my main focus back then. I also noticed that every time I trained on the track, my strength was drained immensely,” he said.

The separation, however, was only temporary.

“One day he came to school and told me to go back to athletics. He even apologized, but I refused. He later spoke to my father, who convinced me to give athletics another chance,” she said.

Looking back, Okon George believes returning to athletics transformed her life.

“Yes, I was a good footballer, but with the help of coach Ogunike, I excelled in athletics. The day I received my first call up to the national team, he was so happy. It reminded me of the day he told me that athletics was my true path. I thanked him and have remained consistent ever since. From 2013 to now, I have remained at the top,” she said.

He expressed deep gratitude to the coach who he credits with redirecting his career.

“I want to thank Coach Ogunike once again for his advice, support and dedication. Without him, I don’t think I would have returned to athletics. He pushed me to discover where I truly belonged. At one point, I had lost direction, but like a father, he guided me back and helped me achieve everything I have today,” she said.

Reflecting on her accomplishments, the veteran quarter-miler believes she made the right choice in leaving football behind.

“I know I have achieved a lot in athletics. I doubt that I would have reached this level if I had continued to play football. There is almost no major athletics competition that I have not participated in. I am truly grateful to God Almighty for everything,” she said,

Okon George has built one of the most decorated careers in Nigerian athletics, distinguishing himself with his consistency in both the 400m individual and relay events.

Her international breakthrough came at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she won silver medals in the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

She added another Commonwealth silver in the 4x400m relay at the 2018 Gold Coast Games, cementing her reputation as one of Nigeria’s most reliable relay teams.

On the African stage, he has achieved sustained success, winning numerous gold medals in the 4x400m relay at the African Games in Brazzaville (2015), Rabat (2019) and Accra (2023), where he also helped Nigeria secure gold in the 4x400m medley relay.

He also won individual silver in the 400 meters in 2015, collecting several additional relay medals in different editions.

Her dominance continued at the African Championships, where she captured relay gold medals in Marrakesh (2014), Asaba (2018), Douala (2024) and Accra (2026), excelling in both the women’s and mixed 4x400m relays.

His medal tally also includes a bronze at the 2014 World Relays in Nassau, a bronze at the Continental Cup in Marrakesh and a silver medal at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.

With over a decade of excellence at the highest level, Patience Okon George has firmly established herself as one of Nigeria’s greatest 400m runners and one of the country’s best relay athletes of her generation.