The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel, has disclosed that Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume benefitted from International Olympic Committee grants on their way to success.
Amusan rose to global prominence on Monday morning when she broke the 100m hurdles world record and won gold at the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships, becoming the first Nigerian in history to achieve both feats.
One her part, Brume, also on Monday morning, won silver in women’s long jump, becoming the only African woman in history to win long jump medals in the World Athletics Championships, the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
Gumel said through an active relationship between the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the NOC, Amusan and Brume are among 14 Nigerian athletes that have received and will continue to receive NOC support until the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
He broke down the details of the financial support, explaining that before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year, Amusan received a total of $28,160 as scholarship payment.
Brume received a total of $28,000 as scholarship payment before the 2020 Olympics.
He added that already, both Amusan and Brume have received $8,000 each as part of their scholarship payment sums for this year.
Gumel assured that the payment will keep flowing until the end of the year and will also extend to the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Fourteen other athletes will also continue benefitting from the NOC scholarships and grants, according to Gumel, as commitments have been renewed towards ensuring Nigeria continues to excel at international competitions.
Gumel explained that the funds are from the IOC Solidarity Fund, which was secured by the NOC.
Over 100 Nigerian with be competing in Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which start today and will end on August 8.
Team Nigeria will feature in judo, athletics, boxing, weightlifting, table tennis, wrestling, para-table tennis, para-athletics and para-powerlifting at the Games.
