Okagbare Back With A Bang, Breaks Onyali’s 200m African Record
Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteghonor announced her return to top form at the weekend with a blistering 22.04seconds run at the 2018 Wes Kittley Invitational in Texas, erasing the 200m women African record held by Mary Onyali-Omagbemi since August 1996 in the process.
Okagbare-Ighoteghonor who spent most of last season nursing an injury, and underwent surgery to aid her recovery with the performance has become the undisputed Nigerian fastest woman having the 10.79seconds women 100m national record under her belt. The athlete will remain in Texas to have a go at the 100m and it remains to be seen if she can also crack the African record held by Ivorian sprinter Murielle Ahoure since 2016.
Athletics officials are already looking forward to a clash between Okagbare-Ighoteghonor and Ivorian duo of Ahoure and Marie Josee Ta Lou.
Nigeria’s Fabian Edoki also leapt to a personal best 8.10m in the long jump.
He is the best jumper ever by any Nigerian male jumper in recent years.
“We’re extremely glad Okagbare is back to her best form. Certainly we will see what happens at the African championships in Asaba,” said former AFN president, Solomon Ogba Sunday.
Okagbare-Ighoteghonor will only run the relays at the 2018 Commonwealth Games starting April 4 in Gold-Coast Australia.
She will be joining her teammates who left on Saturday for the Games on a later date.
