By Monica Iheakam
Tokyo 2020 long jump bronze medalist Ese Brume has jumped her way to the Wanda Diamond League final billed for Eugene, USA on September 16.
At the Xiamen Diamond League meeting in China on Saturday, Brume made history as the first Nigerian field event athlete to qualify for the competition.
The Commonwealth gold medalist clinched the bronze medal with a leap of 6.71m in Xiamen, behind Marthe Koala of Burkina Faso’s 6.79m and reigning world indoor and outdoor champion Ivan Vuleta from Serbia who set a meeting record of 6.88m.
Brume earned six points and overall points total of 16 to secure her place as one of the six athletes that will compete in Eugene, USA where the final of the event will be held.
She will join compatriot and world 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan, as Nigeria now have the bragging right of having two athletes qualify for the Diamond League final in the same year.
Amusan made history in 2021 when she became the first Nigerian to win a Diamond League trophy. She successfully defended her title last year, running a 12.29 meeting record at the Weltklasse in Zurich.
The 2023 Wanda Diamond League final, marking its 14th edition, will be an unprecedented event as it ventures onto U.S. soil for the first time.