15th August, 2013
Reigning Nigeria’s 200m champion, Blessing Okagbare, has qualified for the 200m semi final in the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Moscow, Russia.
Okagbare, who placed a dismal sixth position in the 100m final won by Jamaican Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Monday, finished first early today in Heat with a time of 22.79 secs, while Fraser-Pryce won her Heat in 22.78 seconds.
Another African athlete from Cote d’Ivoire, Murielle Ahoure, who won silver medal in the 100m event, also came first in her race running in 22.66 secs.Current Olympic champion, Allyson Felix of the USA was the fastest woman in the heats as she won her race with a time of 22.59 secs.
Going into the semi final holding later today, Okagbare will need to run faster for her to make the final as her 22.79 secs is ranked 7th in the heat.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 4x400m men’s relay team will also take to tracks later today for a place in the final. The team will run in Heat 1 of the event.
—Bamidele Olowosagba