Nigeria’s brightest medal hope at the 30th Olympic Games later this summer in London, Blessing Okagbare was in impressive form at the weekend at the 54th annual Mount San Anthonio (Mt Sac) Relays in California, USA.
Okagbare, bronze medal winner in the long jump event four years ago at the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing ran a new 22.70 personal best in the 200m to place second behind Leslie Cole (22.63).
?The Nigerian, who rarely runs the 200m had opened her season with a 22.81 seconds run early this month which was then her second fastest time ever over the distance following the 22.71 personal best she ran two years ago in Lignano? Sabbiadoro in the province of Udinese in Italy in 2010. Also at the meeting, quarter miler, Bukola Abogunloko ran a new personal best of 51.87 to win the Women 400m for invited elite. The time is a new personal best for the athlete who was a member of Nigeria’s 4x400m silver medal winning relay team at last IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada in 2010. Abogunloko’s compatriot, Margret Etim (54.53) placed seventh in the race.
?In the women’s 400m hurdles, Ajoke Muizat Odumosu ran 55.78 seconds, her fastest 400m hurdles race in about two years to place second behind Georganne Moline (55.25) and raised? hopes of a final appearance in London at the Olympics.
?In the 100m race, the duo of Damola Osayomi and Agnes Osazuwa failed to impress as they finished fifth (11.31 seconds) and sixth (11.34 ) respectively.
The race was won by former world champion, Lauryn Williams.
In the men’s 100m, the duo of Peter Emelieze (10.08) and Egwero Ogho-Oghene (10.13) came third and fourth respectively in the race won by American Walter Dix (9.85).? Emelieze was however denied a new personal best by excessive tail wind of 2.4mps.
?In the 400m open event, Team Nigeria captain, Saul Weigopwa ran 47.28 seconds to place fourth in heat 1 of the race and sixth overall.
?