Commonwealth Games: Team Nigeria break more records, as Brume, relay team raise gold haul to 12, reach 35 medals total

Team Nigeria, Sunday afternoon, raised their gold titles to 12 and overall medals haul to 35 with the addition of more events won and records smashed at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Heading into Sunday’s events needing to surpass their 11 gold medals won at the 1994, 2010, and 2014 Games editions, Team Nigeria opened the championship with a gold medal in the 4×100 women’s relay, as well as another in the Long Jump women, totaling 12, one above the previous editions.

This is also as the team claimed another silver and bronze in women’s boxing and men’s track events, respectively, raising Team Nigeria top of the African medals table ahead of South Africa, and sixth position below the overall table toppers, Australia.

In the women’s 4x100m settled on Sunday afternoon, Tobi Amusan added another gold to her personal collection as she in powered the relay team to a first-ever gold medal at the Games.

The quartet comprising; Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha made history Sunday afternoon at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham by becoming the first women’s relay team to win a Commonwealth Games gold.

The quartet did in record-breaking fashion, finished in 42.10 seconds to break the barely one month-old 42.22 seconds African record they set during last month’s IAAF’s World Athletics championships in Oregon, United States.

World and Commonwealth Games 100m hurdles champion and record holder, Amusan started the race with a brilliant first leg before handing over to Ofili who ensured Team Nigeria maintained the advantage before handing over to Chukwuma, who passed the baton on to the reigning Nigerian 100m queen, Nwokocha to finish.

The 21-year Nwokocha maintained the lead to finish ahead of Great Britain’s anchor leg runner, Darly Neita for Nigeria’s first women’s relay gold.

The men’s relay team comprising; Udodi Onwuzurike, Favour Ashe, Alaba Akintola and Raymond Ekevwo also made history with a bronze medal win. The medal is the first by the men’s 4x100m relay team since 1982.

Another gold medal came from Ese Brume, came on Sunday afternoon, who reclaimed her long jump top medal after breaking the Commonwealth Games record twice with a competition’s best of 7.00m leap.

Ghana’s Deborah Acquah led with a Personal Best of 6.94m but Ese Brume, who started off with a foul jump, followed up with a leap of 6.99m to push the Ghanaian to the second spot.

Ruth Usoro, the other Nigerian in the final jumped 6.56m on her first attempt to place 4th at the time.

Ese Brume’s 6.99m became the new Commonwealth Games record – a target for every other jumper at the event to beat.

Brume’s 7.00m leap assured her of the gold medal after other attempts at 6.99m; 6.81m; 6.99m; and 6.996m.

Her jump of 7.00m was the championship’s best and gave her the gold medal, the second Commonwealth gold medal, after her first in 2018 when she was just 18.

Ese Brume is also a silver medalist at the recently-concluded IAAF’s World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the United States.

Team Nigeria’s Elizabeth Oshoba lost to Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland in the Women’s Featherweight final boxing bout by a unanimous decision (0-5) to settle for the silver medal.

At the close of Sunday’s events, Team Nigeria had added four more medals to increase the haul to 35, consisting of 12 gold, 9 silver and 14bronze medals.

The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, is scheduled to end on Monday, July 8.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday celebrated the athletes that represented Nigeria gloriously in the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022.

“The President joined millions of other sports-loving Nigerians to watch some of the colourful and spectacular moments in the 11-day competition, which had no fewer than 5,000 athletes representing 72 nations and territories, competing in 280 medal events.

”Saluting the memorable display of Team Nigeria athletes, the President commended the 94 worthy ambassadors that proudly flew the Nigerian flag in nine sporting events, and for those exciting moments when the medalists brought smiles to our faces by breaking world, national and games records, as well as achieving personal bests in their career.

“With 35 medals, including 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze harvested already on the late evening of the 10th day of the Games, and more medals likely for the country on the last day, the President thanked the shining stars of Nigeria for competing among the best in the world and displaying the God-given attributes of the real Nigerian- never give up, strive to the end.

“It is noteworthy that the majority of the medals so far, including 12 gold for the country, were championed by our talented young women and girls, including multi-medalist Tobi Amusan (100m Women’s Hurdle and 4x100m Relay), Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Grace Nwokocha (4x100m Relay); Miesinnei Mercy Genesis (50 kg), Blessing Oborududu (57 kg) and Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg) in Women’s Freestyle wrestling; as well as Adijat Adenike Olarinoye (55kg) and Rafiatu Folashade Lawal (59kg) in Women’s weightlifting.

“Other gold medalists are; Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Women’s heavyweight Para Powerlifting, Eucharia Iyiazi, Women’s shot put, Chioma Onyekwere and Goodness Nwachukwu in Women’s Discus throw, and Ese Brume, long jump.

“We are proud of these achievements and the memories will linger with the nation forever and for me this is a special moment and a fitting parting gift, being my last Commonwealth Games as Head of State.

“He also lauded the coaching crew and team officials for their passion towards the development of sports in the country, assuring them that history will remember them for all their contributions to making Nigerian athletes shine in the international arena,” read the statement issued by the Presidency, Sunday.