Eight months after a car crash, Africa’s women’s long jump record holder, Ese Brume, made a return to the tracks for the first, at the weekend, as she competed at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.
Brume, an Olympics bronze medallist, leapt a distance of 6.36m to place third in the long jump event won by reigning World indoor and Olympic champion, Tara Davis-Woodhall, who took the title with her first round leap of 6.75m. Another American, Sydney Willits was second (6.54m).
Brume, a 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, survived a car crash in the United States, when the vehicle she was travelling in with her friend, a Briton, was squeezed as it was hit from behind by an SUV.
While Brume had a sprained ankle and strained neck during the accident, her friend strained her shoulder, had a brain concussion and some cuts. The news of Brume’s car crash generated some cobcerns back home, particularly among athletics followers who saw the pictures of the crash.
Her return to action in the United States was celebrated by some athletics followers at the weekend, as she is one of the stars being prepared by the National Sports Commission (NSC) for podium finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Meanwhile, sprinter, Favour Ofili won the 2025 LSU Alumni Gold in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, also at the weekend, with a time of 10.99sec.
With the result, Ofili, whose omission in the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics sparked controversy within the Team Nigeria’s camp, has sent a message to her rivals regarding the $100,000 top prize money in next week’s Grand Slam Track event. She is seen as capable of becoming the first Nigerian to win as much as $100,000 in a race.
Just last week, Ofili, who made it to the semifinal in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, ran an impressive 22.34sec at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida.
At the weekend, Ofili moved to number two in the 2025 World 100m top list behind Anavia Battle of the USA, who ran 10.98 to win at the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida last week.
Her friend, Rosemary Chukwuma, ran 11.27sec into a -1.7m/s to place sixth in the overall classification while Praise Ofoku is 30th after running 11.96 into a 2.3m/s tail wind.
In the women’s 200m, Tima Godbless won in 22.72sec into a -1.9 m/s head wind, but in shot put, but in shot put, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, failed to hit the 21m mark as he finished seventh with his 20.37m third round effort.
Also at the weekend, high jumper, Temitope Adeshina, cleared 1.90m to finish first in the Women’s event at the Elite Invitational at the Mt. SAC Relays in California. It was her seven straight win this season in both indoor and outdoor competitions.
