Nigeria’s second-best long-jumper, Ruth Usoro, will compete against some of the world’s greatest this weekend at the Bermuda Games.
Usoro is in a strong starting lineup with Tara Davis-Woodhall, who has a Season’s Best (SB) record of 7.07m, and Quanesha Burks, who has a mark of 6.95m.
Others are Kendell Williams with 7.00m, Monae Nichols with 6.97m, and Tiffany Flynn with 6.80m for a Personal Best (PB).
Usoro has been in excellent form this year, winning the Miramar Invitational in 6.82m (2.5m/s) of fantastic windy distance.
Brume, Usoro, four others listed for World Athletics indoor championships
Census suspended to allow ownership by next administration – NPC Chair
She jumped to a World Championships distance of 6.87m during the indoor season, placing her as the second-best African indoor jumper ever.
It will be recalled that the long and triple jumper made waves around the world in January 2023 when she leaped a Personal Best (PB) and world-leading mark of 6.87m to win the long jump final at the Texas Tech Open and Multis on her season’s debut.
Her mark automatically surpassed the World Championships qualifying mark of 6.85m, also propelled her to No. 2 on the all-time African indoor list behind Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medallist Chioma Ajunwa (6.97m) and ahead of multiple World Championships medallist, Ese Brume (6.85m).
Consequently, she became the second Nigerian jumper to hit the automatic qualifying standard behind Brume, who jumped 7m to win the Commonwealth title last year.
With her present form this season, the former college standout jumper can spring an upset against the big guns in Bermuda.
