The Federal Government has rewarded Blessing Oborududu and Ese Brume with $10,000 and $7500 respectively for winning medals at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Ese Brume and Blessing Obodururu gave Nigeria bronze and silver medals at the Games respectively.
The Federal Government had announced a reward of 15, 000 dollars, 10,000 dollars, 7,500 dollars for gold, silver, and bronze medalists at the Tokyo Olympics.
A statement on Wednesday said the athletes were presented their cash prizes by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in a ceremony held at Grand Prince Hotel, Tokyo Japan on Tuesday.
READ ALSO: Tokyo Olympics: Blessing Oborududu loses final in wrestling, wins Nigeria’s first silver
The minister was quoted as saying, “There’s no point delaying the reinforcement of these athletes who have made the country proud, that is the reason they were rewarded immediately for their record-breaking performances.”
Reacting, Oborududu said, “I am just super excited and I want to say thank you to all my supporters and the Federal Government of Nigeria for the encouragement.”
Chioma Ajunwa was the first person who won a gold medal for Nigeria in the Long at Atlanta 1996, Brume follows suit with a bronze, while Oborududu is the first Nigerian Wrestler to win an Olympic medal.
Brume recorded a 6.97 metres jump in the final of the event at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium to win her first Olympic medal and Nigeria’s first at this Games.
READ ALSO: Olympics: Nigeria guaranteed medal as Oborududu qualifies for wrestling final
The 25-year-old Nigerian placed behind American Brittney Reese who claimed the silver medal with a jump of 6.97m.
Brume had to settle for bronze because her second-best effort of 6.67m was inferior to Reese’s 6.81m.
Germany’s Malaika Mihambo won the event’s gold medal, having saved her best for the last, by snatching victory from Reese with a season-best jump of 7.00m.
Oborududu had to settle for the silver medal in the women’s freestyle 68kg event on Tuesday in the Tokyo Olympics wrestling competition in Tokyo.
This was after she failed to overcome Tamyra Mensah-Stock of the U.S, who had beaten her three times earlier, after losing 1-4 in their final match at the Makuhari Mess Hall.
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