Brume begins ‘light work’ after horrifying car crash — Sport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

• Godbless, Ochonogor target Okagbare’s feat 15 years after
About three months after surviving a “horrifying” car crash in the United States, Nigeria’s long jumper and Olympics bronze medallist, Ese Brume, is gradually returning to her feet.

In December last year, Brume, who won for Nigeria a long jump bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a leap of 6.97 metres, survived the crash, but the car she was travelling in with her friend, a Briton, was damaged beyond repair.

While Brume had a sprained ankle and strained neck injury from the accident, her British friend strained her shoulder, had a brain concussion, and sustained some cuts.

In a telephone chat with The Guardian, yesterday, Brume said she had started “light work,” adding that she would commence training as soon as doctors certify her fit.

“I have started light work-out here, but I am yet to commence full training. I will do so as soon as my doctor certifies me fit,” the soft-speaking Brume stated.

Meanwhile, two U.S.-based Nigerian athletes, Tima Godbless and Prestina Ochonogor, will be looking to become the first Nigerian sprinter and the first long jumper respectively to mount the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships’ podium as champions, 15 years after Blessing Okagbare successfully made a 60m and long jump double.

According to SportsNow.com.ng, there will be no repeat of the double this time around at the Virginia Beach Sports Centre in Virginia where the Championships will be held this weekend.

Godbless, the fastest woman in the NCAA this year with the 7.08 lifetime best that she ran last month will be looking to repeat what Okagbare did in 2010 at the Randal Tyson Track Centre in Fayetteville, Arkansas where she ran 7.18 seconds to win the gold medal for her school, University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) Texas.

Godbless seems to be fulfilling expectations now after serving notice of a star in the making at the World U-20 Championships in 2022, where she stormed to a then 11.09 lifetime best in the 100m.

She knows this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make history and become the second Nigerian woman to win the title.

On her part, 18-year-old Ochonogor, who leapt to international reckoning last year when she made the final of the long jump event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, knows that she can jump to gold on her first attempt and become the second woman after Okagbare to win the women’s title in the event.

Okagbare, who is now serving a ban, leapt a distance of 6.87m to win the gold, her second at the Championships that year.

Ochonogor has been named as one of the freshmen to watch at the Championships and the World U-20 finalist can make a statement leap ahead of the outdoor season and September’s 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.