2024 Olympics: Three Nigerians Qualify For Long Jump Final, Weightlifting Event Starts Today

Team Nigeria’s Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor have qualified for the women’s long jump final at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

This marks the first time that three Nigerian athletes will be competing in the final of the long jump event at the Olympics.

These talented athletes will be pitted against nine other competitors as they vie for medals in the final, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 7.

Brume secured her spot in the final with an outstanding leap of 6.76m, surpassing the automatic qualifying mark.

Usoro also displayed her exceptional skills with a qualifying mark of 6.68m, while Ochonogor claimed her spot in the final with an impressive leap of 6.65m.

Their remarkable performances have set the stage for an electrifying and competitive final event.

Meanwhile, the president of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Ibrahim Abdul, has urged the lifters representing Nigeria at the 2024 Olympics in Paris to go for gold.

The weightlifting event at the 2024 Olympics is set to commence today, August 6. Team Nigeria will be proudly represented by two female lifters in the event.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal is set to compete in the 59kg class, while Joy Ọgbonne Eze will be contending for honours in the 71kg category.

Their participation aims to enhance Nigeria’s weightlifting performance at the Olympics, building on the nation’s previous achievements of two medals—a silver and a bronze—earned at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics.

In his message to the athletes, Abdul expressed his satisfaction with the progress made thus far, acknowledging the dedication and resilience shown by the athletes during the rigorous qualifying series.

“We are happy with what we have done so far as far as this Olympic Games is concerned. We have two athletes representing us, all of them are females. They withstood the rigour and pressure in the qualifying series to reach their first Olympic Games,” Abdul told reporters in Abuja.

“They have come a long way because now they are competing among the world’s best. I told them on the phone a few days ago that they should fear no foe.

“Everybody is beatable. Today I reinforce that statement and urge them to compete firm and fair. We have done everything from our end to give them the necessary support including conducting doping tests on them regularly while they camped.”