World Athletics Championships: Brume Leads Nigeria, Amusan Not Selected
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) have released the list of athletes to represent the nation at the World Athletics Championships, with African record holder Ese Brume leading Team Nigeria while reigning 100m women’s hurdles champion Tobi Amusan was not selected.
Amusan was omitted pending the determination of her doping violation allegation by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The athlete is challenging her provisional suspension for missing three whereabouts testing within 12 months, insisting she is clean and has nothing to hide.
The AIU had promised that they would give a verdict on the appeal made by Amusan before the World Championships commences in Budapest. However, she was not listed by the AFN.
Top of the list of athletes heading to Budapest is Ese Brume, who has won a medal in the last two editions of the World Championship in Doha and Oregon.
The African record holder in the Women’s Long Jump event won bronze in Doha and then silver in Oregon and many are now waiting to see if she will go one step further for gold in Budapest.
Athletes George Patience Okon, Success Umukoro, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Ruth Usoro, also made the list. The quartet of Deborah Oke, Imaobong Uko, Nse Uko, and Pamela Amaechi were included.
Nigerian male athletes like Itshekiri Usheoritshe, Ashe Favour, Seye Ogunlewe, Alaba Akintola, Fakorede Adekalu, Karlington Anunagba, and Enekwechi Chukwuebuka (shot put) also made the list.
The AFN had recently organised trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, to assess athletes’ performances.
Athletics Federation of Nigeria/Chidi Nwoke.
