Nigeria's multiple long jump medalists Ese Brume has revealed how she and Tobi Amusan fasted and prayed during their outing at the Tokyo Olympics.

She said despite facing some challenges and being underrated, she still found her way to the medals table.

Brume made this known when she appeared on the Special Delivery Podcast of ATHLST.

She said, "In Rio 2016, I was fifth and going to Tokyo I said to myself that I’d be on the podium for sure and that I wasn’t going to return without any medal. I prayed with my coach and there is this program we do in church, it’s called Shiloh and I made the sacrifice of what I wanted (whatever comes from your heart), prayed and committed it into God’s hands. Right there in Tokyo, myself and Tobi Amusan fasted and prayed. There was a crisis but we tried not to let that affect us in any way even though we were not so happy with the whole situation.

"At first, I was being underrated by the commentators and other people because normally they would say okay these are the top three people or top six people that will make it but I wasn’t rated and I went there as the world leader but still I wasn’t rated. Thankfully, I qualified and right from the beginning of the finals, I was already on the medal table."

She expressed sadness that Tobi missed the podium in Tokyo but delighted that she broke the world record in 2022.

Brume said, "I almost hurt myself because I was in the call room and we jumped for joy. Heaven let loose.

"You always insisted on going to competitions with coach Kayode even when the AFN wanted you to work with any other coach they were bringing. Do you find it difficult to work with other coaches?

"I don’t find it difficult to work with other coaches but I feel more spirited and encouraged when I am with my coach. I always like my coach to be there with me because I feel I can do more when I have him with me."

ASA