By Chinedu Onyejelem

A Nigerian-Irish teenager who won gold at the recent U20 European Championships in athletics has been subjected to a wave of abuse on social media.

Gina Akpe-Moses (18), who moved to Ireland from Lagos when she was a toddler, raced the 100 metres final at Grosseto, Italy in a startling 11.71 seconds.
A video of her incredible performance posted on Facebook by European Athletics has been viewed over 126,000 times.

However, some commenters saw fit to question Akpe-Moses’s eligibility to compete for Ireland.

“Extra result, but this woman Is no IRISH [sic]” wrote one Daniel Debbi.

Others took such abusers to task for their opinions.

“Makes me sick to think some people here will say she’s not Irish,” said one commenter. ‘Why don’t you get on the track and prove to us you can actually get something done ok your life. F back to you little hole [sic].”

Jennifer Lyons added: “Sad to see so many racist comments when she’s lived in Ireland since she was a toddler.”

Some blamed the negative sentiments on online trolls from outside of Ireland.

”I noticed most of the hate coming from people who don’t have anything to do with Ireland” said Facebook user Son Anh Hoangn.

Art Monty commented: ”Funny the English won’t accept this women as Irish but when it comes to Mo Farah the Somalian as an English man that is no probs.

Typical English double standards. She is Irish and he is English full stop.”

However, several comments praised Akpe-Moses for her achievement. 

“So proud of this girl go on the Irish,” wrote Brendan Snee.

“Well done Gina ... Great run,” added Dee Crosbie, who described those making negative commenters as “really uneducated” and said she was “disgusted people really think like this”.