Blessing Okagbare has won Nigeria’s first medal in Moscow as
she leaped 6.99 metres to clinch the silver medal in the long jump event
final.
The Sapele-born athlete qualified for the final of the Women’s long
jump event at the on-going IAAF World Championship in Moscow with a jump
of 6.83m, placing second in the qualification behind Great Britain’s
Shara Proctor who jumped a distance of 6.85m in her first attempt to
automatically qualify for the final.
The minimum qualification requirement was 6.75m or at least the 12 best performances.
Blessing Okagbare, who is the country’s hope to win its first gold
medal at the World Athletic in Moscow, became the first Nigerian and
African woman to duck under 10.80 seconds in the women’s 100m dash when
she smashed the African women’s 100m record twice on her way to victory
at the London Anniversary Games two weeks ago.
Her performance on the track this season has given Nigerians hope of medals in the world championship.
Based on her achievements lately, Team Nigeria registered Okagbare
for four events, including the Long jump, 4x100m relay, 200m and 100m.
Okagbare had on June 30, won the 200m in the Birmingham Diamond
League in 22.55 seconds. She also won the long jump event at IAAF
Diamond League on July 5 in Lausanne, with 6.98 metres before crossing
to Monaco IAAF Diamond League, where she recorded a personal best of
7.04m also in the long jump.
Nigeria last won a medal at the Athletic World Championship in 1999, a drought Blessing Okagbare has ended with her victory.
Go Blessing! we love u, and may God continue to be with u.
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