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

TP Mazembe pip AS FAR to win African Women’s Champions League

Published

11 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) became the third team to win the 2024 African Women’s Champions League after narrowly defeating AS FAR of Morocco 1-0 in the final played on Sunday at the El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi Stadium.

TP Mazembe claimed the title for the first time courtesy of a 10th minute penalty which was converted by Marlene Kasaj after AS FAR captain Aziza Rabbah handled the ball in the box.

The Congolese side should have doubled their lead six minutes later when an unmarked Merveille Kanjinga fired wide from seven yards out before the more fancied home team gradually grew into the match and looked to cancel the deficit and add to their continental triumph in 2022.

But AS FAR put in a subdued display and failed to test Mazembe’s goalkeeper Fideline Ngoy, with tournament top scorer Doha El Madani who had netted six goals in their run to the final, wasting their best chance as she sliced a first-half free-kick wide.

With the triumph, TP Mazembe carted home the giant trophy and a cheque for $600,000 (£479,000) after the prize money was increased for the fourth edition of the tournament, while the AS FAR went home with $400,000 (£319,000).

Sports

Wafcon 2024 draw throws up interesting pairings

Published

2 days ago

November 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The draw for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) holding in Morocco from July 5 to 26 next year which was held on Friday, threw up some interesting match-ups to look forward to as hosts Morocco found themselves in what has been described as the group of death.

The Atlas Lionesses will have to contend with Zambia, DR Congo and Senegal in Group A, while Group B has record 11-time continental champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria slugging it out with Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana, just as current defending champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa will do battle with Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in Group C.

The top two sides in each group will progress to the quarter-finals, alongside the two best third-placed finishers.

Though qualification for the 2024 Wafcon was completed in December last year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was forced to push the finals into 2025 because of international football’s congested calendar, which included the participation of Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics.

Morocco also staged the 2022 edition of Wafcon, ending as runners-up, and former international Fatiha Laassiri believes home support will provide “a real advantage” next year.

Wafcon 2024 group draw with world ranking in brackets:

Group A: Morocco (hosts, 59), Zambia (62), Senegal (83), DR Congo (102).

Group B: Nigeria (36), Tunisia (78), Algeria (84), Botswana (153).

Group C: South Africa (holders, 50), Ghana (66), Mali (81), Tanzania (145).