”My man must be tall like my father and have swagger.” – Olympic Gold Medalist Lauritta Onye

Despite her little stature, Lauritta Onye from Imo state, is a woman with big dreams. She has achieved so much in sports, breaking world records and setting new ones at international sports events, including the Rio Olympics 2016.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun earlier this month, the Olympic Gold Medalist talked about her life, past relationships, marriage, and more:

Is there anybody like you in your family?

There is nobody like me in my family. They have traced my paternal and maternal family roots but none like me. It is a mystery to everybody. But my face looks like that of my father. My father has died but my mother is still alive. She is in the village.

On her past relationship:

So, when I came to Lagos, I decided to have one boyfriend. Fortunately or unfortunately, he broke my heart. Maybe it was not the will of God. He broke my heart by looking for another girl. He did it twice. He did it the first time and I forgave him. When he did it the second time, I started praying and asking God if he was the one because before I started with him I didn’t pray.

I didn’t want a situation whereby I will get married and start talking or thinking about divorce in the future because the Bible frowns at divorce. So, I started praying and getting revelation. Instead of seeing him, I was seeing other people. I said, no wonder the guy was hurting me. It was an opportunity for me to leave him. No need forcing myself, that was why I gave up.

He is a normal person. He should be over five feet. He was the person who deflowered me.

On getting married and settling down:

God’s time is the best. I know that God created me in his own glory and there is a reason He created me this way. I remember when I finished secondary school, men used to come around me and out of ignorance I told them I was not interested in marriage. I used to tell them that I wanted to be a reverend sister so they should leave me alone.

My thought was to be rich and possess all the essential things of life, without boyfriend or husband. Fortunately, I do get revelation and when I have it, I will tell my brother’s wife about it. And she will begin to interpret it. God did not create me not to be fruitful; I’ll bear fruit. Men will be chasing me and disturbing me physically and spiritually and I will be running.

On the kind of man she would like to marry?

I want a God-fearing man, a man that cares, a man that looks cute, a man that dresses well and has swagger. I don’t like men that wear earrings or funny hairstyles. I need a man that is dark in complexion; I don’t need oyibo. I like tall men, men over five feet.

My father was a tall man; I want a man like him. I want a real man, not somebody who will be controlled by his mother or friends. The man should be faithful. My kind of man should be romantic.

Do you have a boyfriend now?

I will be lying if I tell you that I don’t have a boyfriend now. But since I have known him he has never slept with me. He is far from me. We only talk on phone. He is busy where he is and I’m busy too. He is still schooling, though he has something doing to assist himself. He is in Uyo, Akwa Ibom but he hails from Imo. The guy who broke my heart is also from Imo.

What would be your advice to special people like you?

My advice is that they have to aim high because the Bible says declare and it shall come to pass. I have decreed that I will be a great person in society, so shall it be. Whatever God has destined for you must surely come to pass. So, I want to advice them to dream big; let them aim higher and work towards achieving it.

I always go for the best. So, my little people should know what they want; they should not give up. God has a purpose for creating them the way they are. The Bible says God’s thought for us is for good. I thank God everyday for the way He created me. They should not feel inferior.  I don’t take trash; if you feel that you are beautiful, I’ll tell you that I am more beautiful than you.

To read the entire interview, visit The Sun.