By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-03-01 03:20:23
Nigeria’s contingent to the 2024 World Indoor Championship has arrived in Glasgow, Scotland for the event that kicks off this evening. The team is being led by Samuel Onikeku, the Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). However, there are concerns that Ese Brume, the World Silver Medalist in long jump, may not be able to participate due to challenges in obtaining travel documents from her base in the United States.
In the absence of Tobi Amusan, Nigeria’s hopes of winning a medal at this year’s World Indoor Championship rest on Brume. She aims to secure a gold medal after being the first Nigerian long jumper to win medals at both world indoor and outdoor championships. Brume previously won bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and silver at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. Additionally, she clinched silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.
Brume is the sole woman in Nigeria’s final entry for the World Indoor Championships. It was revealed that she submitted her international passport at the U.S. Embassy in December but only received clearance to travel on Wednesday morning. However, officials of the AFN are still working on securing her UK visa to facilitate her journey to Scotland for the championships. Meanwhile, Sikiru Adeyemi, a member of the squad and a 100m/400m runner, is also facing challenges in obtaining his travel visa in Nigeria for the trip to Glasgow.
Adeyemi is part of Nigeria’s 4x400m team alongside Chidi Okezie, Dubem Nwachukwu, and Edosie Ibadin. They will be competing against teams from the USA, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, and Kenya. An AFN official disclosed that United States-based throwers Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Edosie Ibadin, and Dubem Nwachukwu are en route to Glasgow. Enekwechi will participate in the shot-put event, while Ibadin and Nwachukwu will compete in the 400m and 800m races respectively.
The Nigerian team is looking to make a mark at the World Indoor Championship and is optimistic about their chances despite the challenges they are currently facing. The athletes are determined to give their best and represent their country with pride on the global stage. Nigeria’s sports enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the start of the championship and are hopeful that the team will bring home medals and make the nation proud.
