Long jumper Ese Brume has won Nigeria’s first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Brume, 25, claimed the bronze medal in the women’s long jump at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Tuesday.
She achieved the feat with a 6.97m jump, two days after she qualified for the finals with a jump of 6.76m.
Germany’s MalaikaMihambo beat Brume to the gold medal with a 7.00m jump while Brittney Reese of the United States won the silver medal.
Brume’s win adds to positive news for Nigeria at the Olympics after a run of negative news of defeats and the disqualification of some of the country’s athletes.
On Monday, Blessing Oborududu beat Mongolia’s Battsetseg Soronzonbold to reach the final of the women’s freestyle 68kg wrestling. The win guaranteed Nigeria a medal at the Olympics.
Brume’s win gives Nigerians more reasons to cheer.
“I’m grateful. I’m super happy that I was able to make it to the top three.
“I really want to thank God. I can’t contain my joy; it doesn’t matter the medal; I’m just super happy I made top three,” the bronze medalist said.
When asked what the medal means to her, she said: “This medal means that God is alive, Jesus is alive. It has been a great season even though I got injured in April, but I never settled for less.
“I never looked at the situation but I kept on pushing and my coach kept on pushing and told me ‘Ese you can do it’. Thank God I’m here today.”