Budapest 2023: Sports minster urges Team Nigeria athletes to bounce back

Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has encouraged Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and other Nigerian athletes at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest to bounce back stronger after missing out on podium finishes in Budapest.

The minister spoke with journalists immediately after Tobi Amusan ran in the final of the women’s 100m hurdles event. The defending champion lost her crown to 2015 champion Danielle Williams after finishing 6th.

“We still stand to take pride in Tobi Amusan even though it wasn’t the result we would have wanted,” Sports Minister Enoh said. “With all of the circumstances of the last few weeks, she still showed why she is highly revered.”

“The same can be said for Ese Brume, Favour Ofili, Alaba Akintola, Chioma Onyekwere, Sade Olatoye and all other Nigerian athletes that participated in the championship.”

“I urged them all to use the experience from Budapest as another learning curve and take pride in the fact they competed favourably at that level. As we learn the lessons from Budapest, we will work towards better appearances in the future,” the minister concluded.

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On Thursday, Favour Ofili and Alaba Akintola both lost in the women’s and men’s 200m semifinals event respectively.

Amusan still holds the world record in the women’s 100m hurdles, while Favour Ofili remains the African indoor record holder in the women’s 200m and Alaba Akintola, a Commonwealth Bronze medallist.