INTERVIEW: Defying odds; Relentless path of UI swimming captain, Gloria Akinyemi

By David Olatunji

Gloria Akinyemi is currently a final year student at the University of Ibadan, studying Human Kinetics Education. She also doubles as the Captain of the University of Ibadan’s swimming team, where she helps young undergraduates overcome their fear of water.

In this interview with The Lagos Voice’s editor, David Olatunji, Gloria shared her interest in swimming among other sporting activities, finding a rough path, and how she has been able to rise to stardom following her recent achievements at the University of Ibadan, NUGA, and FISU Trials. Excerpt.

The Lagos Voice: Can I meet you? What do you do?

Gloria: My name is Gloria Akinyemi. I’m a Human Kinetics undergraduate at the University of Ibadan, a competitive swimmer, and the captain of the UI swimming team. Beyond competing, I work with young people, especially girls, to show that Sports can be a pathway to confidence, leadership, and opportunity. I also help young adults and professionals overcome the fear of water and learn swimming as an essential life skill.

The Lagos Voice: Who introduced you to swimming, in the first place?

Gloria: I actually started swimming in my first year at the University, through a compulsory course, KHE 102. Before then, I had never learned how to swim. That class was my first real exposure to swimming.

 

The Lagos Voice: When did you first realize swimming could be more than a childhood survival skill or casual activity, and how did that clash with what your family expected of young women?

Gloria: Swimming became more than a survival skill the very first day I entered the water at 100 level. I didn’t go in thinking about competition, I just wanted to learn. But the feeling of freedom I experienced in the water stayed with me, and that curiosity slowly turned into passion.

The Lagos Voice: How do you handle the tension between cultural/religious norms around modesty and the practical demands of competitive swimming?

Gloria: Honestly, I’ve always approached it practically. In sports, you dress according to the demands of the sport, just like people wear corporate outfits to the office. For me, purpose has always been more important than perception, and that mindset helped me stay focused.

The Lagos Voice: Describe a moment when family disapproval felt strongest, did you consider quitting, and what kept you going?

Gloria: I considered quitting many times, especially when my body ached from training or when resources were tight. There were days when I barely had food, but I still used my last ₦500 to pay for pool entry. My mom was also worried about safety. She’d ask why I couldn’t choose something “less dangerous,” like table tennis or tennis. But the results changed everything. After I won a silver medal in my first competition, the complaints reduced significantly. What kept me going at the start was pure passion and curiosity. What keeps me going now is seeing lives impacted by that passion, and there’s no greater joy than that.

The Lagos Voice: How has representing your University or winning at NUGA changed conversations at home about girls in sports?

Gloria: Representing my University at the NUGA games and at the Nigerian FISU trials was a major turning point. It completely changed the narrative. I’ve learned that once results speak, negative comments fade. Respect grew gradually, and today I’m part of Women in Sports Network (WINS), a body that started from UI. Being part of something that empowers women through sports has been incredibly fulfilling.

 

The Lagos Voice: Looking ahead, how do you see your success influencing younger girls in your family or hometown?

Gloria: That has always been the goal. I chose Human Kinetics because I wanted to change the narrative in my community. I look forward to building a community of women in sports, where they feel included, can compete safely, connect, and access opportunities. If my journey helps even one girl in sports, then it’s worth it.

The Lagos Voice: Take us back to that first University pool session, what surprised you most about your performance, and when did doubt turn into belief?

Gloria: Interestingly, my first experience at the pool wasn’t great. I got injured before class, I fell into a gutter while carrying out my class rep duties and couldn’t swim that day. Three days later, after my wound healed, I returned to the pool and practiced everything I had observed my lecturer teach. By the next class, I was already ahead of my coursemates. I wasn’t surprised, I was simply very curious and eager to learn.

The Lagos Voice: Growing up, did anyone ever tell you swimming wasn’t “for people like you”? How did that shape your early self-view?

Gloria: Growing up, swimming was never presented as an option. I didn’t even think about it, I just knew I loved watching the Olympics. Access and exposure were the real barriers, not ability.

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The Lagos Voice: Describe the grind; How do you train when the pool is closed half the time, or when the family expects full focus on studies?

Gloria: I trained almost every day for over six months, except Sundays. On lighter academic days, I stayed at the pool from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. I won’t pretend it was balanced, I often prioritized swimming over academics, and it did affect me. I wouldn’t advise anyone to do it that way, but it taught me discipline and self-awareness. Today, I understand the importance of balance much better.

The Lagos Voice: What was the lowest moment, maybe a bad race or family argument, and how did you rebuild confidence?

Gloria: Family support was never really an issue. My parents were involved in sports when they were younger, so they understood the value. When I told my mom I wanted to study a sports-related course, she said, “I’m glad one of my children is doing sports.” Their main concern has always been balance, between sports, academics, and other interests.

The Lagos Voice: How has breaking records or winning medals changed how you see yourself and your potential?

Gloria: Winning medals showed me that I’m capable of far more than I ever imagined. It changed how I see myself, not just as an athlete, but as a leader and a changemaker.

The Lagos Voice: Would you rate your current achievement in swimming on medals acquired or the interest in genuinely helping young girls carve a niche in this same field?

Gloria: I have two silvers and other medals from school competitions at UI, one gold, two silvers, one bronze from Nigeria FISU trials. One silver from Nigerian University Games (NUGA) 2025. Never on medals. But, I came into swimming to change narratives.

The Lagos Voice: Speaking about your achievements (medals), how has it shifted your views on women pursuing sports?

Gloria: Every medal made it clearer to me that women are not less capable, we are less supported. Actually, the truth is that talent is not scarce among women. Opportunity is. It shifted my mindset from “I just want to win” to “I want to open the door wider.”

The Lagos Voice: Have you seen other female swimmers drop out due to similar pressures, what makes you different?

Gloria: I’ve seen talented girls stop because: Their parents didn’t think swimming was serious, they were told to “focus on academics”, felt isolated in male-dominated training spaces, lacked financial support, and internalized doubt. What makes me different? The passion and clarity that comes after every swim.

The Lagos Voice: Being the current captain of UI Swimming team, How has your presence changed recruitment or attitudes toward women’s swimming on campus? Or what intervention do you aim to implement in that regard? 

Gloria: Yes, several times in the last few years, most especially when I was the sports minister of my hall of residence, and I hope to improve in the coming months.

The Lagos Voice: Why do late discoveries like this happen more in Nigerian Sports?

Gloria: I would say lack of opportunities and poor infrastructure.

The Lagos Voice: What cultural or structural barriers mostly limit female participation in Nigerian University swimming?

Gloria: Cultural modesty norms around swimwear, fear of public visibility, marriage expectations overriding athletic ambition, stereotype that swimming is ‘not feminine’ and poor safety policies.

The Lagos Voice: What role can Universities/NUGA play in creating safer, more inclusive environments for female athletes from conservative backgrounds?

Gloria: Offer scholarships specifically for female athletes, train coaches on gender-sensitive communication, create visibility campaigns highlighting successful female athletes. And most importantly, normalize women winning publicly.

The Lagos Voice: If a younger version of the community saw your journey, what message would you want them to take?

Gloria: Your background doesn’t disqualify you. Start where you are, stay consistent, and let your growth speak. It’s possible to do great things from small places.