Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor got her season underway with a dominating win at the 2015 Shanghai Diamond League yesterday, winning the women’s 100m in 10.98s. Okagbare got ahead of a star-studded line-up that included Olympic Champion Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, and coasted to victory.
Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor reacts after winning the women’s 100m event at the Diamond League athletics meeting in Shanghai on May 17, 2015. AFP
The Nigerian champion who started in lane 3 got a perfect start and was running neck-to-neck with Fraser-Pryce who started in lane 4, but Okagbare eluded the Jamaican and steered clear of the chasing pack in the last 40m of the race, finishing nearly a tenth of a second ahead of 2nd placed Tori Bowie who clocked 11.07s. Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye finished 3rd in 11.13s. The Jamaican duo of Veronica Campbell-Brown and Fraser-Pryce could only manage 4th and 5th positions in 11.22s and 11.25s respectively.
Just a week after finishing second in 11.05s at the Jamaica Invitational, Okagbare has now improved on her season best, putting her in great contention for the season ahead. Last year, Okagbare was victorious at this circuit, winning a double in both the women’s Long Jump and 200m events, all with a meeting records. And with another win this year, it is now back to back wins, with Shanghai looking like a good hunting ground for the Nigerian.
Title : Diamond League: Okagbare Dusts Olympic champion!
Description : Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor got her season underway with a dominating win at the 2015 Shanghai Diamond League yesterday, winning the wo...