Nigeria won its first medal at the Tokyo Olympics, as Ese Brume recorded a 6.97 metres jump in the final of the women’s long jump to win her first Olympic medal and Nigeria’s first at this games.
Ese Brume came 3rd behind USA’s Brittney Reese and Germany’s Malaika Mihambo who jumped a season-best of 7.00 metres.
Brume, 25 who came fifth in the 2016 Olympics, with 6.81 had to settle for bronze because her second-best effort of 6.67m was inferior to Reese’s 6.81m.
Brume was Nigeria’s sole representative in the jumps in Tokyo since the disqualification of Ruth Usoro by the Athletics Integrity Unit. It is worthy to note that Brume was Nigeria’s only medalist at the last World Championship in Doha, where she also won a bronze.
Having broken the long-standing 7.12m record of Chioma Ajunwa in the build-up to the Olympic Games, expectations were high she could also deliver gold like the police officer did 25 years ago in Atlanta but that did not happen.
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Nigeria also expects another medal later today as Blessing Oborodudu guaranteed Nigeria’s first medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics after reaching the final for the women’s 68kg category.
