Brume clinches fourth African Athletics Championships title in Douala

… As Enekwechi extends dominance in shotput   Nigeria’s two-time world medallist, Ese Brume, has become the first athlete to win four long jump titles in African Championships history following her exploits in Douala, Cameroon. Winning the crown three consecutive times – in 2014, 2016 and 2018 – had already propelled her into an exclusive […]

• … As Enekwechi extends dominance in shotput

 

Nigeria’s two-time world medallist, Ese Brume, has become the first athlete to win four long jump titles in African Championships history following her exploits in Douala, Cameroon.

Winning the crown three consecutive times – in 2014, 2016 and 2018 – had already propelled her into an exclusive class, and going one further at the Japoma Stadium consolidated her position as Africa’s best in the event.

Brume had missed the last edition of the championships held in Mauritius, which was won by Burkina Faso’s Marthe Koala. In Douala, the latter put up a formidable fight and was not going to relinquish her crown easily, taking the lead with 6.72m.

She left it late, prevailing in the last round by just one centimetre (6.73m) to win gold. South Africa’s Danielle Nolte took the bronze with 6.44m.

Similarly, the mixed 4x400m was contested on day two of the championships saw Nigeria and Botswana engaged in a battle for superiority, with South Africa trailing in third until the final leg when Coetzee was handed the baton. The South African champion switched gears and in no time, overturned every deficit to gift South Africa their first African Championships gold in the discipline in a time of 3:13.12. Nigeria claimed silver (3:13.72) and Botswana bronze (3:15.93).

Temitope Adeshina added to the medal count by winning Silver in the women’s High jump with a clearance of 1.84m.

Samuel Ogazi gave it his all in the men’s 400m final, finishing strong and winning the Bronze medal with a time of 45.47s while teammate Dubem Amene placed 7th.

In the women’s event, Nigeria’s sole entrant Esther Elo Joseph also took a Bronze with a time of 51.94s.

Edose Ibadin placed 6th in the men’s 800m with a time of 1:47.95 as Comfort James finished in 8th place in the women’s race in 2:04.45.

Team Nigeria’s men’s 4x100m relay squad made up of Alex Chukwukelu, Emmanuel Ojeli, Alaba Akintola, and Usheoritse Itsekiri, finished 2nd in their heat, earning a spot in the final. Ghana won the race with a time of 39.16s.

The Nigerian women’s 4x100m relay team comprising of Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan, Olayinka Olajide, Adaobi Tabugbo, and Tima Godbless won their heat, crossing the line in 43.58s.

Meanwhile, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has extended his dominance on the continent to a third successive African Championships and did just enough to snatch the shot put gold medal with his best effort of 21.14m.

Enekwechi, who is African Indoor Record holder in the men’s Shot put made it a hattrick of titles at the African Senior Championships after extending his dominance on the continent to six years.

He currently has three African Championship titles, having won in Asaba 2018 and Mauritius 2022, and is tied for the most gold medals by a male Shot Putter in the Championships’ history.

He revealed that his major focus now is how to put smile on faces of Nigerians at the fast-approaching Paris 2024 Olympics Games.