Ese Brume expectedly lived up to expectations and proved she is a big occasion athlete after leaping 6.72m to qualify for her third straight World Championships long jump final.
Twice medalist in the event in the last two editions of the Championships, the 27-year-old is now on course to become the first Nigerian to win three medals as well as extend her record of being the only one to win medals more than once in the same event.
It was, however end of the road for Ruth Usoro, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, and the 4x400m mixed relay team.
Usoro, a finalist in the long jump event last year missed returning to Sunday’s final by just 1cm and ranked 13th in the final classification, a place just outside the lucky 12 who will be competing for the three medals on offer in Sunday’s final.
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Meanwhile, Shot Putter, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi and the 4x400m mixed relay quartet of Dubem Nwachukwu, Patience Okon George, Nathaniel Ezekiel, and Imaobong Nse Uko had earlier set the wrong signal for Team Nigeria following their exit on the opening day of the Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Enekwechi, the finalist in the last two editions, started on the wrong note at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest with a no-throw in the opening round.
The 30-year-old threw 20.41m in the second and 20.68m in the third round to exit the competition.
Any 21m throw for an athlete who has thrown over 21m nine times this outdoor season leading up to these championships would have secured his qualification for the final.
Enekwechi finished eighth in his debut at the Championships in 2019 in Doha, Qatar, and 11th in Oregon, USA last year.
Also out of the championships is the 4x400m Mixed relay team who finished sixth in the second semifinal heat after running a 3:14.38 personal season’s best.
The team also made it to the final last year in Oregon but failed to replicate that a year later.
By Dare Esan
2 Comments
Never seen a long jumper as fat and muscular as Ese Brume!! What happened to aerodynamics? She cannot win much outside Nigeria.
Seriously!