The long-awaited medal for Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics remains elusive as Ese Brume finished 5th in the women’s long jump final, missing out on a medal at the Games.
Africa’s record holder had been one of Nigeria’s brightest hopes for a medal, But Brume’s 6.70m mark fell short of the leap needed to secure a top-three podium finish.
Despite the disappointment, Brume’s journey to the final was nothing short of dramatic. In the qualification round, she found herself on the brink of elimination, sitting in 9th place before a last-moment leap of 6.76m secured her place in the final.
Her performance inspired a historic moment for Nigeria, with the country fielding three athletes—Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor—in the long jump final for the first time in Olympic history.
Ruth Usoro and Prestina Ochonogor also put up commendable performances, but like Brume, were unable to reach the podium. Usoro, who had jumped 6.68m in the qualifiers, and Ochonogor, who moved up to 2nd place in her qualifying group with a 6.65m leap, both fell short in the final, leaving Nigeria without a medal on Day 13 of the Games.
As Nigeria continues to chase that elusive Olympic medal, the nation’s hopes now turn to the remaining events – especially Tobi Amusan in the Women’s 100m Hurdles.