SportsBusiness: Brume, Oborodudu to pocket $7,500, $10,000 as Nigeria triples Olympic medals prize money

Team Nigeria athletes at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will enjoy improved prize monies for medals won at the Games as announced by the Federal Government.

The team have so far won two medals – a bronze by long jumper Ese Brume and a silver by wrestler Blessing Oborodudu – at the 2020 Games.

The initial prize monies for gold, silver and bronze medals were $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 respectively but each has now been tripled.

The Director, Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD) of the Youth and Sports Development Ministry, Dr Simon Ebohdjaiye made the announcement on Tuesday after Oborodudu won her medal.

Ebohdjaiye said the gesture by the government was in appreciation of the impressive and historic performances put up by the athletes.

“The gesture is to drive home the point that the Federal Government rewards superlative efforts,” said Ebohdjaiye.

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“Gold medallist will now be rewarded with $15,000 while silver and bronze medal winners will each get $10,000 and $7,500 respectively. The earlier award is $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver and $2,000 for bronze”.

Following the announcement, Brume who won bronze after jumping to a third-place finish in the women’s long jump event, will be pocketing $7,500 for her effort.

Oborodudu who became the first Nigerian wrestler to win an Olympic medal as she settled for silver in the women’s 68kg freestyle, will get $10,000.

Meanwhile, Team Nigeria still have hopes of winning more medals at the Games, with the Wrestling event led by world number one in her category, Odunayo Adekuruoye, still to come.

Also within the medal range is Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who will be competing in the men’s Shot Put final on Thursday.

The Tokyo Olympics will be coming to a close on Sunday, 8 August.

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