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By: Chinedum Ohanusi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS) has advised “government at all levels, to commit more resources towards the discovery of more sporting talents, with a view to nurturing them to become world beaters”.

This charge was contained in a statement, issued by the association to celebrate the eye-catching performances of Team Nigeria female track and field stars, on the final day of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Portland, Oregon, USA.

While singling out Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume for their brillant podium performance, President of NAWIS, Prof. Bola Adeyanju also paid glowing tributes to the nation’s women 4X100 metres relay team for their spirited performance that saw them finished 4th in the final, despite qualifying for the championships, as the 16th best team.

The quartet of Joy Udo-Gabeiel, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha placed 4th with a time of 42.22 Secs, to erase the old one 42.39 Secs, also set by Nigeria.

“The lessons herein are that there are still many other Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume, waiting to be discovered and exposed to the world. This can only be possible if well-meaning individuals, corporate Nigeria, and the three tiers of government work together”, said the NAWIS President.

Tobi Amusan who was 4th at the last Worlds in Doha Qatar, was also 4th at the 2020 Tokyo Olympi Games, held last year in Japan, but last night she ran a race of her life to become Nigeria’s first World Champion in Athletics, in a wind assisted time of 12.06 Secs.

She had earlier broken the then World Record of 12.20 Secs by finishing 12:12 Secs in Semifinal, of the women’s 100 meters hurdles, and was gifted a cheque of one hundred dollars, for lowering the old world record.

In addition to being a World Champion, Pint Size Amusan, who hails from Ogun State.
is also the Commonwealth Champion, as well as the African & Nigerian Record Holder in the Women’s 100 metres hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ese Brume who won Nigeria’s only medal in athletics at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year, by winning Bronze in Women’s Long Jump; upgraded the colour of the medal, by taking the Silver in the same event, in Oregon.

Her first jump of 7.02 metres proved to be good enough for the Silver, as Germany’s Olympic Champion, Malaika Mihbo took the Gold with a leap of 7.12 metres.