'Miss' Universiade, Erikah Seyama: 'Dear Neapolitans, I'll be waiting for you at San Paolo'

“Dear Neapolitans, thank you again for your affection, you are wonderful. I look forward to seeing you at the San Paolo for the athletics competitions. It will be exciting to compete in that extraordinary stadium”. This was stated by Erikah Nonhalanhla Seyama, a 25-year-old high jump athlete from the Kingdom of Eswatini, which until 2018 was Swaziland, a small state in Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa. The young athlete will compete in her specialty, the high jump. “The welcome from the public was wonderful – continued Erikah who had already been to Europe but never to Italy – dear Neapolitans, thank you for your affection, your love, you are extraordinary. Coming to Italy has always been my dream. I have finally made it come true. I love the culture of Italy, the people: wonderful people. When I arrived in Naples, the thing that struck me most was seeing so many ancient buildings, the architecture here is beautiful. I immediately fell in love with this place so rich in history”. Busy with training, Erikah has only seen the city aboard the buses that connect the Maritime Station with the sports facilities. “Today, finally,” added the athlete, “I have the chance to take a tour of the city, and I’m very curious.” The Swazi athlete then spoke about her experience aboard the MSC Lirica, one of the two cruise ships that host the Athletes’ Village in Naples: “At the beginning it was a bit strange, also because every time I got on a ship it was to start a trip. Moreover, it happened to me several times to arrive late for boarding and miss the ship.”
“There is no such risk here,” Erika continued, “but I can still say that this Athletes’ Village is a unique experience. Taking part in this competition also means interacting with many peers from all over the world, with the possibility of meeting and comparing myself with different cultures and people. Obviously, my main focus now is on the competitions: on July 8th I will be at the San Paolo for the qualifications, hoping to be among the finalists on July 13th and jump higher than everyone else. At the end of the Universiade I will stay in Naples for a few more days, there are many places I want to see, in the city but also in the entire region.” “My desire is to return,” the athlete concluded, “But first I want to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”