Ese Brume battles Semenya, others for Africa’s sports woman of the year award

Reigning African long jump champion, Nigeria’s Ese Brume, will have to overcome a pool of top African stars, including South Africa’s middle-distance runner and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Caster Semenya, in the race for the 2019 Africa Sports Woman of the year award.

Brume, who has won one Commonwealth Games title and four senior African titles, including a gold medal at the recently concluded African Games in Morocco, has been listed by organisers of the Annual STARQT Awards for the 2019 event slated for October 26 at Edenvale City Hall in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the only Nigerian athlete listed in the four categories: Sports man of the year, Sports woman of the year, FAN of the year and Coach of the year.

In the Sports Woman of the year category, Brume has seven other top contenders to battle with, including the South African middle-distance runner, Semenya. Others are Linda Motlhalo (South African footballer who plays for Beijing BG Phoenix in the Chinese Women’s Super League), Peace Proscovia (Ugandan athlete who plays netball for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Australian Super Netball league), Rose Kugonza (sports administrator in Uganda), Patricia Apolot (reigning Ugandan female kickboxing champion), Stella Nanfuka (Netball player in Uganda) and Saphina Sekatuuka.

Some athletics followers believe that only Semenya, who is still having a legal battle with the IAAF on the use of medication to significantly reduce her testosterone, may pose a major challenge to Brume in the race to becoming the African sports women of the year.

Before the African Games in Morocco, Brume jumped 7.05m to emerge as one of three Nigerians ever to scale over 7m. In Morocco, she grabbed the gold medal with a leap of 6.69m. The Delta State-born athlete is currently on a scholarship with Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus, studying Tourism and Hospitality management.

She is looking forward to a podium performance in the fast approaching IAAF World Championship in Doha, and Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games.