African record holder in the women’s long jump (7.17m), Ese Brume will begin her bid to make World Championships history on Saturday at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Brume, bronze medalist three years ago at the competition’s 17th edition in Doha, Qatar is bidding to become the first Nigerian, man or woman to win medals at two different editions of the championships.
She is also seeking to become the second Nigerian after Glory Alozie to win a medal at the indoor and outdoor versions of the championships in the same year.
The 26 year will also be hoping to hit the 7m mark in the championships thereby becoming in the process the second Nigerian woman to achieve the mark after Chioma Ajunwa who jumped 7.01m in Athens, Greece in 1997.
Brume only needs to jump 6.75m to secure an automatic qualification or be among the best 12 jumpers in the two qualifying groups to make Sunday’s final.
The Nigerian has been drawn in the first qualifying group (A) and holds the second best jump (6.92m) of the season in the line up behind Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia who has jumped three centimetres farther so far this season.
The second Nigerian in the event, Ruth Usoro has been drawn in the second qualifying group (B) alongside two athletes who have jumped over 7m so far this season viz Ivana Vuleta, the reigning World Indoor champion who has jumped 7.06m and reigning World outdoor champion, Malaika Mihambo of Germany who holds a personal season’s best of 7.09m.
Usoro will be making history Saturday night as the first Nigerian woman to compete in the long jump and triple jump events at the same championships.
The 24 year old holds a personal best of 6.78m in the event achieved this season and a repeat of the mark will land her in her first World Championships final.
