Paris Olympics: Brume and Usoro begin medal quest on Tuesday with long jump qualification

          

Olympic medalist Ese Brume and compatriot Ruth Usoro will begin their quest for a medal in the ongoing Paris Olympic Games on Tuesday morning in the women's long jump in Group A of the qualification event.

The third Nigerian who is also seeking a place on the podium is Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor.

31 long jumpers are seeking a place in the final. They are divided into Group A with 16 jumpers and Group B with 15 jumpers.

Brume and Usoro are in Group A, while Ochonogor is in Group B.

Only 12 jumpers can qualify for the final. To qualify, you must jump 6.75 or be among the top 12 best performers.

Brume and Usoro with seasons best of 6.84 and 6.87 look good to qualify from Group and Ochonogor with a season’s best of 6.79 may also qualify.

But to medal in Thursday’s final Brume has to jump her personal best of 7.17.

Germany Malaika Mihambo with a season’s best of 7.22, American Tara Davis-Woodhouse, another German Mikaelle 6.91, Italy Larissa Iapichino 6.97, Bulgaria Plamena Mitkova 6.97, Spain Agate De-Souza 6.91 and Romania Alna Rotaru 6.94 have the frontrunners in women’s long jump this season.

Brume, Usoro, and Ochonogor need to work extra hard to be at their level and surpass their season's best to have any hope of a podium appearance if they make the Thursday final.

Elsewhere, Team Nigeria athletes’ have advanced into the semifinals of the men’s 400m hurdles.

Ezekiel Nathaniel ran into the semifinals from heat 4, clocking a time of 48.38 seconds behind Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke. Clarke finished in a time of 48.17 seconds.

Nathaniel has now broken a 12-year record, qualifying for the semifinals of the men’s 400m hurdles event. The last Nigerian to reach this stage in the event was Amaechi Morton at the London 2012 Olympics.

21-year-old Ezekiel Nathaniel’s time was the sixth fastest time in the 400m Hurdles. Norway’s Karsten Warholm 47.57 seconds is the fastest time.

It was not a sweet story for Chidi Okezie in the men’s 400m Repechage round, he still could not land in the semifinals leaving Samuel Ogazi as the lone flag bearer from Nigeria in the competition.

The story was the same for Ella Onojuvwevwo and Esther Elo Joseph in the women’s 400m race on Monday.

Esther Elo Joseph was disqualified in her race while Ella Onojuvwevwo finished sixth in heat 3.

It’s noteworthy to mention that no Nigerian athlete has reached the final of any track event at the Paris Games.

Kanyinsola Ajayi and Favour Ashe crashed out in the semifinals of the men’s 100m, Rosemary Chukwuma suffered the same fate in the women’s 100m.

African Shot Put champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is the only that has reached the final of his event, he finished sixth.

Meanwhile, in the 200m men’s race, Udodi Onwuzurike will get a second chance to become the fourth Nigerian man to reach the semifinals of the 200m at the Olympics.

After finishing fifth in his opening round heat with a time of 20.55s, he will compete in the Repechage Round, reserved for athletes who failed to secure automatic semifinal spots.