Nigerian athletics legend Seigha Porbeni has expressed confidence in the abilities of United States-based sprinter Godson Brume to make a significant impact on Nigeria’s relay team at the upcoming Lagos Series.
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Brume, a standout athlete from Louisiana State University, arrived in Lagos after being unable to participate in the national trials due to unforeseen circumstances.
Porbeni, who serves as the head coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), believes Brume’s inclusion in the relay team could prove to be a game-changer.
Acknowledging the talent of other sprinters on the team, Porbeni emphasized Brume’s current form and the potential he brings to the squad. The AFN’s technical team has been working tirelessly to secure qualification marks for Nigeria’s relay teams at the Budapest 2023 World Championships, with three teams still vying for their spots after coming close at the recent African Region 2 Relay events in Togo.
Brume’s impressive performances in the lead-up to the World Championships, including a sub-10-second 100m run in June, further bolster the optimism surrounding his impact on the team. Nigeria has already secured two relay tickets for the Budapest event, namely the women’s 4x100m and the mixed relay.
Alongside Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic have also confirmed their participation in the Lagos Series.
The addition of Brume has injected a new level of competitiveness into the men’s 4x100m relay squad, which includes Usheoritse Itsekiri, Seye Ogunlewe, Alaba Akintola, and Favour Ashe. At the national trials, Itsekiri emerged as Nigeria’s new sprint sensation, matching his personal best of 10.02 seconds from 2019.
Ogunlewe secured second place with a time of 10.11 seconds, closely followed by Alaba Akintola at 10.12 seconds.
As the Lagos Series draws near, the arrival of teams from Ghana and Benin Republic is expected today, heightening the anticipation for an electrifying competition.
With the combined talent and determination of these sprinters, Nigeria’s relay teams are poised to give their all in pursuit of securing coveted tickets to the Budapest 2023 World Championships.
