OKAGBARE: FIRST OF HER KIND

OKAGBARE: FIRST OF HER KIND

: Aug 20, 2013

-Nigeria Sprint Queen  defies the odds to make history at IAAF Worlds
By Dare Esan, in Moscow, Russia:

While Nigerians were anticipating a first ever world title following Blessing Okagbare's 10.79 seconds African record-setting run on July 27, 2013 at the London Olympics Anniversary Games in London, the athlete, who knows running in an IAAF Diamond League meeting is a different ball game from running in the flagship event of the IAAF, did not set herself a target that would put her under unnecessary pressure.

Two years ago, she set a top three target for herself in the 100m and long jump events at the London Olympics.

"I have a really huge goal for London: Making the top three in the 100m and long jump," she said...well, wishes refused to be horses and she couldn't achieve those targets.

Coming to Moscow, she said she wanted to just have a good championships albeit her credentials showed her as a potential medallist in three events viz the 100m,200m and long jump.

In each of the events this year she has set a personal best. She started with the 200m where she ran 22.31 at the San Antonio meeting in Walnut, California, USA to become the fastest Nigerian in 15 years after Falilat Ogunkoya who ran 22.22 seconds and 22.25 seconds in 1998 in Dakar and Johannesburg respectively.

Then followed the long jump which fetched her a first global medal in 2008, a bronze. She first showed a glimpse of what was to come when she leapt a distance of 7.14m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha on 10th May, 2013.A trail wind of +2.2 mps rendered the mark invalid. It would have been a new African record.

She then made it real on July 19 in Monaco at the Herculis Zepter Diamond League meeting where she jumped 7.00m to become only the second Nigerian to hit the seven metres mark.

A week later in London she broke the African record twice in the 100m, running 10.86 and 10.79 to finally announce to the world she would be a strong contender for podium appearances in the three events.

Truly, like her coac John Smith said, her potential is unlimited.

Then tongues began to wag. Former IAAF World Championships 200m gold medallist, Ato Boldon, who worked as a commentator for the NBC, tipped the Nigerian for a big run, picking her as the only one who could ruffle Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pyrce's feathers.

 "I think Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the favourite until we see different," said Boldon."But, different might be in the form of Blessing Okagbare, who I think is going to have a breakout world championships."

Well, Blessing didn't really have the breakout world championships Boldon predicted but she achieved what no other Nigerian has ever done in the 30-year old history of the championships.
She won two medals at the same competition!

She picked her first medal at the long jump pit adjacent to the VIP area of the stadium made famous with its hosting of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the UEFA Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United where John Terry lost a penalty.

After the event, the realist in Okagbare said at the mixed zone she was not disappointed with finishing second.

'Getting a silver was not really a disappointment. Most times when you get to the really big stage you want to stay focused. If you can't get the big marks, you want to get the medal. I stayed focused and didn't panic,’ she said.
One down, two to go.

Not many envisaged the damage her participation in the long jump had done to her. The schedule was not favourable to her and her pre-championships performances made choosing between the long jump and 100m very difficult.

She was sure to get a medal in the long jump and stopping a 10.79 runner from taking part in the 100m looked out of the question.

'Her plan was to have only two jumps in the long jump and preserve her energy for the 100m but things didn't go as planned,'' said Athletic Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba.
What Okagbare didn't anticipate was two-time winner, USA's Britney Reese jumping over 7.00m (7.01m) as early as the second round.

The Nigerian had opened with 6.89m which was huge at this level but Reese took the fight to her and Okagbare, obviously chasing the ultimate prize, began the ding-dong battle that would hurt her at the end.

By the time the 100m reached the semifinal stage, Okagbare knew there was trouble. She woke on the morning of the 100m event feeling pains all over her body. The recovery from the long jump was slow and this slowed her down in the blue riband final despite having her best start in recent memory.

She struggled to unleash her traditional late rally and by the time the race was over, she was in sixth place.

To add insult to her injury, a 10.93 performance won the silver medal...a time she could have achieved with minimum effort!

Then fear set in. Would she be able to recover well enough to run the 200m? Off all the contestants, she was the only one who had completed two events.

Winning the gold medal was no longer part of the equation. Not where a fresher Fraser-Pyrce was or the freshest of them all, Allyson Felix of the USA. Even Ivorian girl, Murielle Ahoure, the surprise silver medallist in the 100m, was a threat. On paper she was the fastest African (22.24) in the event coming to the championships.

Race time and Okagbare looked to be making it double silver until Ahoure surged forward to take it on the line in a photo-finish with Okagbare settling for bronze.

How crucial was her dip at the finish line, she was asked at the mixed zone.

‘It was kind of crucial because I wanted to be in the top three. I was just praying my legs could get me there. They (the legs) have been really busy and it hasn't been easy for me to get off the long jump,100m and 200m. So I was just like keep your focus, stay strong. I’m just happy I got to the podium,'' she said.   

'I was disappointed after the 100m final but it wasn't easy coming out of six (long) jumps. My legs were not ready. Whatever happened in the 100m, I was over it. I told myself, whatever comes, I need to get something in the 200m. My bag is empty, I need to fill it. So, two medals and a final, that is something to be grateful for. I am really happy to be on the podium.' -------------------- complete sports