I Take Solace In God —Okagbare

Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare won’t lose her sleep for failing to live up to expectations in the Women’s 100m final at the ongoing 14th IAAF World Championships in Russia.

Okagbare, who placed 6th position in a race her countrymen and women were expecting her to come first, says she had put the loss at the back of her mind and now looking unto God to boost her career.

Okagbare had been tipped to replicate the Diamond League feat, where she returned with a time of 10.79secs in London to win the 100m, but her 11.04secs return in Moscow, Monday evening, was a far cry of what was expected of her.

The final saw the eight fastest entrants of the championships, but ultimately there was no doubt over the winner as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce triumphed with the biggest winning margin in World Championships history.

Okagbare finished in a disappointing sixth position after a very slow start and ended the race in a time of 11.04 seconds.

Shortly after the race, Okagbare took to social media, where she wrote on her Facebook wall: “Thou it’s not easy, sometimes the pain in my heart makes you seem far away but lord, I will forever trust you.”

As at the time of filling this report, hundreds of her facebook friends have continued to encourage her with different messages of exhortations.

One Bishop Fob Dema wrote: “You are blessed…..You are the best…. You trusted HIM…..the best inside you will be revealed to all.”

Ogunwole Bharbhartunde Henry added: “No matter what we still love, u made us proud. Best of success in future don’t be like others who left their homeland. Love U dear.”

“At this moment (wither or not the 100ms) u are a world champion silver medalist. I want to remind u what happened in Athens 2004; Shaun Crawford crashed out in the 100ms as a competition favourite. He came back the next day as a new dawn to hawk everyone including Gatlin and co to clinch the 200ms title with a promising record. Imagining how u feel atm, we share and bleed with u. And we say this is a new dawn,” Mba Idika Uduma wrote.

However, Okagbare has a chance of increasing her medal haul in the 200m and 4x100m events of the competition.

—Adebobola Alawode