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President of Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Engineer Sani M. Ndanusa has saluted sensational African queen of track, Blessing Okagbare for her stellar performance at the London Olympics anniversary race at the weekend. “Okagbare is indeed a Blessing to Nigeria. Let me offer you my warmest congratulations on your feat in London where you not  only finished first in the pack of world champions but also sent the African record crashing. Your performance sooths our soul after the London 2012 Olympics where you could not make it’’, Ndanusa said. [caption id="attachment_406547" align="alignright" width="250"] Blessing Okagbare[/caption] Okagbare returned to the same venue at Olympics Stadium in Strafford and sensationally beat the world to win the 100m, setting a new African record in the process. She first broke Gloria Alozie’s 14 -year old record of 10.90 record when she returned in 10.86 seconds in the heats and  further lowered that in the final to 10.79  ...

The  Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has predicted that Blessing Okagbare may emerge the world champion in the women’s 100m race in the forthcoming IAAF World Championship in Russia If she maintains her current form. He said this in the light of Okagbare’s latest victory, which saw her broke the Africa women’s 100 metre record at the London Diamond League, which took place at the weekend.     She first ran 10.86 second in one of the heats, which was better than the previous African record of 10.90, held by fellow Nigerian Gloria Alozie. [caption id="attachment_401385" align="alignnone" width="412"] Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare celebrates winning the women's 200m during the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting at The Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, central England on June 30, 2013. AFP PHOTO[/caption] Okagbare further improved her personal record by running 10.76 in the final, winning the ...

The Olympic Stadium has not necessarily been a happy place for British sprinting but the current crop will be hoping to change that at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games this weekend, where Blessing Okagbare will be competing Anyika Onuora and Asha Philip have been enjoying the form of their lives this season, a far cry from 12 months ago. [caption id="attachment_401385" align="alignleft" width="412"] Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare celebrates winning the women's 200m during the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting at The Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, central England on June 30, 2013. AFP PHOTO[/caption] Onuora managed to make it inside the stadium to compete in London 2012 but her father Chiz passed away a few months earlier in February and she felt she underperformed, unable to make it out of her 100m and 200m heats. Looking forward, Onuora says: “This weekend feels like a chance to redeem myself. I didn’t perform to my best at the Olympics and,...

Former Olympics women long jump champion and continental record holder, Chioma Ajunwa has predicted that Blessing Okagbare will erase the long jump and 100m African records if she puts her mind into it at the World Championships in August. [caption id="attachment_139015" align="alignright" width="320"] Chioma Ajunwa[/caption] Ajunwa holds the African long jump record; a 7.12m she did at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. She, at one time held the 100m record  with a wind aided 10.84 seconds set in 1992. It was bettered by Gloria Alozie with a 10.90 seconds run in 1999. The two records have continued to gape at Nigerian women jumpers and sprinters until recently when Okagbare gave warning signs that she could take both records out. The Delta-born athlete in two Diamond league meetings, put up encouraging performances. She jumped 7.14m in Doha and ran 10.89seconds in Eugene, Oregon, however both efforts were above the permitted wind levels. “From all indications Ok...