By Akeem Lawal
Nigeria’s multi-talented athlete,
Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor has secured her tickets to the Tokyo 2020
Olympics and the World Athletics Championship billed for Doha in September
after clocking a Season Best 11.07s (+0.2m/s) to finish 2nd in the women’s 100m
of the IAAF Diamond League in Shanghai on Saturday.
The 2008 Olympic silver
medalist in the long jump who made her return to the Shanghai Diamond League, four
years after she last competed at the Shanghai Stadium, could not stop American
Aleia Hobbs, who held on to her lead to claim the $10,000 top prize money in
11.03s, despite running with a broken wrist. Double Olympic champion Elaine
Thompson however finished 3rd in 11.14s.
Okagbare’s 11.07s was well
sufficient to earn her a place in the 100m events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
(standard being 11.15s) just as the World Championships in Doha (standard being
11.24s).
The 30 year old now joins
three other Nigerian athletes that have qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Tobi
Amusan (100m Hurdles), Raymond Ekevwo (100m) and Divine Oduduru (100m).
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