Sports

14 years after, Ese Brume returns Nigeria to World Indoor Championships podium

Published

3 years ago

March 21, 2022

Multi-talented Nigerian athlete, Ese Brume, on Sunday, ensured the country had a podium finish at the ongoing 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, 14 years after its last achieved the feat.

The Delta State-born Brume took the silver medal with a personal season’s best jump of 6.85m achieved in the third round to finish behind homegirl, Ivana Vuleta, who claimed gold with a personal best jump of 6.89m best in the second round, before improving to 7.06m in the fourth round.

Brume’s feat came after Nigeria last won a medal at the 2008 edition in Valencia through Olusoji Fasuba’s 60m gold medal, and took the country’s overall medals haul to 12, made up of two gold, six silver and three bronze medals.

A handful of Nigerian athletes had done the country proud in previous World Indoor Championships, though such feats have been sporadic and far between.

The 25-year-old Brume, however, becomes only the third Nigerian athlete after the late quarter-miler, Sunday Bada, and Gloria Alozie, to win medals at both World Indoors and Outdoors Championships as well as Olympic medals for the country.

Alozie, an hurdler who later switched allegiance to compete for Spain, had won a silver medal in the 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in Maebashi in 1999, and the outdoor version same year in Seville, Spain, in the 100m hurdles before going on to win a silver medal at the Olympics in Sydney.

The late Bada had earlier set the pace by winning three World Indoor Championships medals in 1993,1995 and 1997 respectively.

He then topped his glorious feats when he helped Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team to win gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 to add to a 4x400m relay bronze at the World Outdoor Championships he won in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1995.

Brume is the third long jumper to win at the World Indoors after Paul Emordi and policewoman, Chioma Ajunwa feats in 1987 and 1997 respectively.

She is also joint fourth on the top of the all-time African and Nigerian long jump indoor list behind Chioma Ajunwa (6.97m), Blessing Okagbare (6.87m), and Sierra leone’s Eunice Barber (6.86m).

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Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)