I became an athlete by accident – Brume

Nineteen-year-old Ese Brume is a Commonwealth gold medallist in long jump, African junior record holder in the same event. In this interview withALLWELL OKPI, this Delta State athlete speaks about her rise in athletics and her Rio 2016 Olympics target

You were barely 18 years when you won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year. How’s the experience?

It was a wonderful experience for me. I’ll say it was God’s grace and the help of the people God placed around me that made it possible. I entered the competition with a lot of confidence and I felt happy. I was excited when I won the gold medal.

How did you get into track and field?

It was in my secondary school. One day our games master took us to one trial and I made the team for 400m. We went into camp where I made the team for long jump. That was how I started but then I wasn’t serious about athletics. To me it was just a pastime. It was after I participated in the National School Sports Festival in Lagos representing Delta State in 2008 that I started taking athletics seriously.

Does it mean becoming an athlete wasn’t part of your childhood dreams?

Not at all. I can say I became an athlete by accident. It just happened. Before I began to take athletics seriously, I never saw myself participating in sports at this level and representing Nigeria in any competition.

One incident that led to my becoming an athlete happened when I was 14 years old. I went to house the principal of my school, St. Teresa Senior Girls School, Ughelli. I knew our principal had a police dog but I didn’t know that the dog was unchained that day. When I entered and discovered that the dog was free, I ran out and the dog started chasing me. I escaped and my coach was coming and he saw me. That was how he knew I could run. So, I started with 400m. But I came third in the trials we did in camp and they needed just two athletes. But my friends said they didn’t want me to go. They were scared of missing me. So I went to try long jump and I won the trial. That was how I got into long jump.

Having achieved a bit in athletics, have you now embraced it as a lifelong career?

Yes, I want to go professional. But that will be after schooling. Currently, I’m not in school. I’ve finished my secondary school and I’m yet to gain admission to a higher institution.

You were given an athletic scholarship to study in the United States after you won gold at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games so what is holding you?

Yes, I got the scholarship to study in the US but I’m yet to process it. Nothing is really holding me from processing it. I will do that soon.

Going to the United States, which course do you want to study?

I want to study sports administration.

Does it mean you intend to go into sports administration when you retire and not coaching?

I don’t intend to coach. I prefer sports administration and that is because I feel I will have more impact on people, especially athletes as an administrator than as a coach.

What is your plan for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil?

I hope to compete at the Rio Olympics and by the special grace of God I will be climbing onto the podium. My target is to win gold in long jump at that Olympics. I know the Olympics is a much bigger competition than the Commonwealth Games, but I’m still confident that I will win gold. I cannot be intimidated by big names.

Do you think you can make the International Association of Athletics Federation entry standard for women’s long jump for Rio, which is pegged at 6.70m?

I’m very sure that I will scale the standard. Even though my personal best is still below the standard, I’m pretty sure that before the event next year, I will surpass 6.70m. I’m currently working very hard with my coaches, Mr. Kayode Yaya, Dr. Peter Oboh, and Mr. Emma Osuagwu. I meet with them regularly to train towards meeting our target before the Olympics.

What target do you hope to achieve in long jump before the Olympics?

I believe that by the grace of God, I will be jumping 7.0m before the Olympics. My personal best is 6.68m but my season best is 6.3m which I jumped at the 2015 Africa Junior Championships in Ethiopia. I’m working on it with my coaches. I’ll make sure I push myself to reach 7.0m before Rio. That target is in my mind. It is very possible and I will achieve it by the grace of God.

Which was your first international competition as part of Team Nigeria?

It was the African Junior Championships in 2013 in Mauritius where I won gold in long jump, silver in triple jump and gold in 4x100m relay.

Did you feel intimidated competing with athletes from other African countries for the first time?

I had a great time at the competition. I saw everyone as my mate and I tried not to be intimidated by anyone. I just went there to do my thing and by God’s grace I came out top. I know I’m a good jumper and the talent God has given me is making way for me, therefore I’m never intimidated. After that event, I knew what I got was good for a start, so I congratulated myself.

Who can you refer to as your role model?

Blessing Okagbare is my role model. She inspires me a lot. I’m following in her footsteps. I’ll like to achieve the feats she has achieved in sports and maybe surpass her records in the future.

Are your parents in support of your being an athlete?

My parents are in full support of my being an athlete. They are giving their support and prayers. They want me to do well and excel in both the area of my talent and my academics. Therefore I’m trying my best to succeed in both.

Was the support there from the beginning or did it come when you started winning medals both nationally and internationally?

No, my family has been supporting me right from the beginning. They never stopped me from participating in sports and their support has contributed to whatever I have achieved so far in athletics.

If you did not become an athlete, what else would you have become?

I guess I would have become a dancer. I love dancing. I used to dance a lot but now, athletics is taking much of my time, so I no longer dance as I used to.