OPINION Ruth Usoro rising through the ranks as one of Africa's best jumpers in history

Ruth Usoro is just getting to the peak of her career, so still has a lot to offer and be in the game for many years. She may not be there yet, but she's steadily rising through the ranks of being one of Africa's best jumpers in history.

Nigeria enjoys the fruit of producing Africa's best female jumpers in history. From Chioma Ajunwa to Blessing Okagbare, then Ese Brume, and now the privilege of another rising gem in Ruth Usoro.

Her predecessors not only dominated the continent but won at least a medal at a major athletics competition, making them one of the world's best during their active days.

While Brume is still very active and currently ranked the second-best jumper in the world, Usoro is showing significant signs of why Nigeria can start anticipating two potential medallists in the long jump event at major championships.

Ruth Usoro currently leading the world

The long and triple jumper made waves around the world last weekend (January 28) 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 Ajunwa (6.97m) and ahead of multiple World Championships medallist 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.

For context, the reigning World Champion Malaika Mihambo, also opened her season last weekend with a best leap of 6.85m.

At the 2022 World Indoor Championships, the silver medal-winning jump was 6.85m by Nigeria's Brume. It means Usoro would have medalled if she produced her world lead there, a consideration of being a prospective medallist.

So how did Usoro get here? How did she end up with a world-class mark that projected her to the top of the world? Should Nigeria start dreaming of not one but two medals at the upcoming World Championships in Budapest?

A brief insight into Ruth Usoro's junior and college career

Usoro was a budding talented sprinter and jumper in Nigeria, having jumped above the 6m as a high school student, which remains the country's high school record in the event.

It earned her a US scholarship to study at South Plains College, where she smashed the School Record (SR) severally and won numerous NJCAA titles.

After her junior college, she transferred to Texas Tech University to complete her second university degree. She progressed with the same record-breaking feats, also being discovered with the talent to double in the triple jump.

Usoro won the BIG 12 indoor conference titles in both events from 2020-2022 and was the 2021 NCAA indoor and outdoor triple jump champion.

Her triple jump indoor PB of 14.36m and outdoor PB of 14.50m aren't just SRs but Nigerian Records (NR). And she has an indoor long jump PB of 6.87m and an outdoor PB of 6.78m.

Now an alumnus of Texas Tech, the talented jumper will aim to stay consistent and dominate the world professionally.

Trip to Tokyo Olympics and World Championships

Usoro became the first Nigerian athlete (male or female) in history to qualify for the Olympics in the long and triple jump events at the Tokyo Olympics.

Despite arriving in Tokyo, sadly, she wasn't allowed to compete as her name was among the ten Nigerian athletes ineligible to participate due to non-compliance with out-of-competition drug testing requirements in the run-up to the Games, a fault the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) took the blame and responsibilities.

The 25-year-old overcame the setback and accomplished the same milestone for the 2022 World Championships in Oregon. First, she competed at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, where she finished eighth in the triple jump and went to Oregon to compete in both events - a first in Nigeria's athletics history.

In Oregon, she couldn't qualify for the triple jump final but did in the long jump by placing eleventh in the final. So she ended the 2022 season as the eighth best indoor triple jumper and eleventh best long jumper in the world on her first senior global outing - a worthy achievement.

A little analysis of Ruth Usoro's 6.87m jump

Last year, Brume jumped 6.85m indoors and later jumped above 7m four times outdoors. Also, Ajunwa is the indoor AR holder with 6.97m and was the former outdoor AR holder with 7.12m before Brume smashed it with 7.17m.

Usoro's performance was a season opener, meaning she can still fine-tune her techniques and improve as the season progresses.

Not to get too excited, but the 25-year-old may have a 7m outdoor jump in her legs, and if she's able to produce it at the World Championships, that's most likely a medal.

Also, she's yet to make her season's debut in the triple jump - her better event. If there's anything to go by, a new PB and World Championship standard is also in the books.

What next?

When Tobi Amusan ran the 100m Hurdles World Record in Oregon, Usoro said in an interview "This is a motivation. It means God is in the neighborhood."

Though the WR in the jumps seem quite unachievable at the moment, but she can get the basic things done. First, the shoe companies need to start looking in her direction for an official sponsorship contract; if they haven't started doing that already.

Then a management team to get her professional meets, as she has to compete more in the European circuit and consistently rub shoulders with the best in the world, not just college athletes.

Usoro is just getting to the peak of her career, she still has a lot to offer and be in the game for many years. She may not be there yet, but she's steadily rising through the ranks of being one of Africa's best jumpers in history.

All it takes is to start medalling at major championships - starting with the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.