*Ese Brume picks silver in long jump, Enekwechi’s season yet to peak
Duro Ikhazuagbe
World champion and record holder in women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, scorched to her second consecutive win of the season yesterday at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial 2023, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold in Szekesfehrvar, Hungary.
The petit-Nigerian ‘express train’ cruised to the finish line in 12.35secs to leave American duo of Nia Ali (12.41) and Alaysha Johnson (12.50) for the second and third positions.
The win for the Nigerian track queen is coming barely days after claiming victory in a meeting record of 12.34 ahead of Kendra Harrison and Nia Ali at the Wanda Diamond League in Chrorzow in Poland.
It was a deserving win for Amusan. She confirmed that her feat in Chorzow was no fluke despite Ali winning the US National Championships in Eugene in 12.37 and finishing third in 12.38 in Chorzow.
In the 100m event, Julien Alfred got a pound of revenge as she beat Sha’Carri Richardson to second. Alfred ran a legal 10.89secs to pick the gold while Richardson clocked 10.97. Tamari Davis (11.02) was third.
Nigeria’s other star girl in the long jump, Ese Brume, could only settle for the silver of her specialty event with a 6.69m jump.
Serbia’s Milica Gardasevic jumped 6.80m to take the gold while Hungary’s Petra Banhidi-Farkas (6.66m) picked the bronze medal.
Brume started her outing at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial 2023 with a 6.68m. The Delta girl then improved to the 6.69m in her second jump. She had a no jump in her third jump. Her 4th, 5th and final 6th jump failed to meet the 6.6m mark. She clocked 6.40, 6.54 and 6.47 to settle for the silver.
Nigeria’s shot putter, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi’s slow start to his 2023 outdoor season continued with him placing 9th at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial 2023. His best throw was 20.41m
