2023 World Athletics Championships: Nigerian Athletes Struggle In Budapest

Nigerian contingents at the ongoing 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, are not having it easy as they continue to lose out from making the podium.

One of the country’s medal hopeful, Ese Brume finished fourth in the women’s long jump despite posting a season-best leap of 6.84 meters in Budapest.

Ivana Vuleta of Serbia won the competition with a leap of 7.14 meters, setting a world record. Tara Davis-Woodhall of the United States, came in second with a mark of 6.91 meters. While Romania’s Alina Rotaru-Kottmann came in third with a mark of 6.88 meters.

In her first attempt, Brume cleared a height of 6.80 meters, and in her second attempt, she raised it to 6.84 meters in order to continue competing for a medal. However, she was unable to pass 6.84 meters, 6.53 meters, 6.70 meters, and 6.59 meters on her third, fourth, fifth, and sixth attempts.

Budapest 2023 marked the only time Brume has failed to bring home a medal for Nigeria in a major competition since 2018.

Also, the national champion Usheoritse Itsekiri and Seye Ogunlewe were unable to go through Sunday’s men’s 100-meter semifinals.

Itshekiti ran 10.19 seconds to finish ninth in the first semi-final, while Ogunlewe ran 10.12 seconds to place fifth in the second semi-final.

With a new world record time of 9.83 seconds, American Noah Lyles won the men’s 100 meter race.

In the same vein, Ashley Anumba, Chioma Onyekwere, and Obiageri Amaechi were all eliminated from the women’s discus throw competition.

Meanwhile, Rosemary Chukwuma, the only Nigerian athlete still left in the women’s 100-meter race, is expected to qualify for the event’s star-studded final today, August 21, after qualifying as one of the non-automatic qualifiers with her timing of 11.24 seconds in the heats.

In the fourth heat, Chukwuma competed against Jamaican Shericka Jackson, who ultimately prevailed in 11.06 seconds, placing the Nigerian in fourth place.

Later today in Budapest, she will start the first semi-final in lane 9 at 7:05 p.m. WAT.

Like Chukwuma, Ezekiel Nathaniel will compete in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-final later today, after finishing fourth with a time of 48.47 seconds, 0.05 seconds slower than his previous national record of 48.42 seconds set last year.