Ese Brume, gold medalist in the women’s long jump event of the 2022 Commonwealth Games concluded in Birmingham, United Kingdom last night has stressed that Team Nigeria’s women’s performance on the penultimate day of the Games will inspire girls in the country to take up sport.
The 26-year-old Delta State born Brume reclaimed her long jump title on a day Tobi Amusan won 100m hurdles gold before inspiring Team Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay to the gold medal, 28 years after such feat in Victoria, Canada.
That took Nigeria’s Games tally to 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals to finish overall seventh position and Africa’s top performers in Birmingham.
“I know this will be an inspiration for them,” Brume told BBC Sport Africa.
She added: “Of course, when you see someone you look up to doing well, you want to definitely be like them. So this is going to motivate and inspire them.
“I hope it works.”
Three-time African champion Brume set a new Games record with a leap of 7.00 metres to win, adding a second Commonwealth gold to the one she claimed in Glasgow eight years ago.
After two jumps of 6.99m and one of 6.96m – which would all have been enough to secure top spot on the podium – Brume said her record jump demonstrated her consistency in her discipline.
“This is one thing I really wanted – to get the Games record,” she added.
“This is special for me, because it shows consistency. It shows the hard work of all those that have supported me, and my coach who has been backing me up.
“Sometimes it’s about how you’re able to show that what you’re doing is not a fluke.”
Amusan set a new Games record of 12.30 seconds to add the Commonwealth 100m hurdles title to her gold at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.
The 25-year-old then returned to help Nigeria to 4x100m relay victory alongside Favour Ofili, Rose Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha, who said the result was all the sweeter after they finished fourth in Oregon last month.
“We’ve been working so hard to get ourselves a fast time so that we could be at world level and we could be champions,” the 21-year-old Nwokocha added.
“It is what we have always wanted to be. When we went to the Worlds, we felt so disappointed we didn’t get a medal.”
