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Brume leads Usoro, Ochonogor into historic Olympics long jump final

By Gowon Akpodonor
07 August 2024   |   3:01 am
Except something goes wrong, it would be difficult for Nigeria not to bag any shade of medal (s) in the long jump event at the ongoing Olympic Games. Reason: For the first time in history, three Nigerians will be competing in the final of the event. The trio consists of Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and…
Ese Brume

Except something goes wrong, it would be difficult for Nigeria not to bag any shade of medal (s) in the long jump event at the ongoing Olympic Games.
Reason: For the first time in history, three Nigerians will be competing in the final of the event. The trio consists of Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor.

They all scaled the qualification hurdles, yesterday, in Paris, and are to battle nine other athletes for medals in today’s final.
Brume, who won a bronze medal at the last Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, left her best for the last with a 6.76m leap to qualify for her third straight Olympics long jump final.
 
After two jumps, Brume looked to be on her way out at the qualifying phase for the first time after jumping 6.44m and 6.40m in her first two jumps. But she responded with a 6.76m in her final jump, one centimeter above the 6.75m qualification mark to seal her place in the final.
  
Usoro was the first to confirm her place in the final after jumping 6.68m in her second attempt after fouling her first, while Ochonogor also booked her place in the final with her second-round leap of 6.65m after opening with a rather mediocre 6.27m.
Brume and the two other Nigerians will battle reigning Olympic champion, Malaika Mihambo of Germany, who, like Brume, sealed qualification with her third leap (6.86m) after fouling her first two jumps.

Also through to face the Nigerians is Italian, Larissa Lapichino, a finalist at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, who jumped 6.87m.
Tara Davis-Woodhall, reigning World indoor champion and silver medalist at the World outdoor championships last year in Budapest, led the qualifiers with her 6.90m second-round attempt.

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