Nigeria pips S’ Africa to CAA Junior Athletics Championships title

ESE Brume set a new championship record in the long jump to lead Nigeria to the title at the just concluded African Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

  The title race was a close one, as South Africa pursued the defending champions doggedly until the final day of the competition, but the young Nigerians held on to retain their title.

 Two years ago in Mauritius, Nigeria beat South Africa to the title on the last day with nine gold and repeated the feat, but this time with 13 gold medals.

  Ese Brume added the icing on the cake when she set a new championship record of 6.33 metres in the long jump to add to the male and female 200m gold and the 4×400 metres female relay title Nigeria garnered on the final day.

 Although the Nigerian lads lost the 4×400 male relay title on Saturday, they made up with the 4×100 male and female gold medals as well as the ultimate prize in the boys’ 400 metres race. 

  Brume also won the triple jump gold medal, while Divine Oduduru won the 100 and 200 metres titles. Nigeria went into yesterday’s events with six athletes in the final of their events.

  To place second, South Africa got nine gold medals.