Nigerian gold medalists to receive $15,000

The Federal Government has announced a reward of $15,000, $10,000, $7,500 respectively for gold, silver, and bronze medalists at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.

This was disclosed by Simon Ebohdjaiye, who is the Director, Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD), Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

Ebohdjaiye stated this while speaking on Tuesday in Tokyo, shortly after wrestler Blessing Oborodudu won Team Nigeria’s second medal at the Games.

He said the reward was reviewed, due to the dedication of the athletes.

“Gold medallist will now be rewarded with 15,000 dollars, while silver and bronze medal winners will each get 10,000 dollars and 7,500 dollars respectively.

“The earlier award is 5,000 dollars for gold, 3,000 dollars for silver, and 2,000 dollars for bronze,” he said.

Oborodudu is the first Nigerian wrestler to win an Olympic medal, claiming silver in the women’s 68kg freestyle.

Earlier on, Ese Brume, who won the country’s first medal at the Games with a bronze in long jump.…

Ese Brume erases Chioma Ajunwa’s 25-year-old long jump record

Jumps 7.17m to set world lead record

Twenty-five years after long jumper, Chioma Ajunwa, conquered the world by winning a gold medal at Atlanta ‘96 Olympics, another Nigerian, Ese Brume, has made big headlines in that country, this time in the city of California.

Brume, who was Nigeria’s only athlete to reach the final of any event at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, jumped a distance of 7.17m on Saturday at Chile Vista Festival in California to become the first African woman to ever make such a mark. She shattered Ajunwa’s 25-year-old Long Jump record of 7.12m in the process. Brume’s jump was also a World Lead.

“I am so glad for this achievement,” Brume told The Guardian on phone from California in the early hours of yesterday.

Jumping six times, Brume saved the best for the last, leaping that mark on her very last attempt after jumping 6.83m (three times) and 6.88m once.

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