Sports
Okagbare breaks 200m African record
By Boluwatife Ezekiel Olaleye
Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor smashed the women’s 200m African record over the weekend when she emerged first in the event at the Wes Kittley Invitational in Abilene, Texas, USA.
The Nigerian sprinter ran for 22.04 seconds on the night to break the 22.07 seconds African record set by her compatriot Mary Onyali some 22 years ago at the Wetklasse Grand Prix in Zurich, Switzerland.
It was Okagbare’s first race in 2018 and the feat makes a bold statement from her ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games where she will be defending her titles in Australia.
Okagbare was also the 100m African record holder after racing 10.79 seconds in 2013, but Cote D’Ivoire’s Muriel Ahoure has broken the record with 10.78 seconds.
The 2013 IAAF World Championships double medallist will now shift her focus to the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia as she strives to become the first woman to successfully defend a 100m/200m sprints double.
The Commonwealth Games begin on April 4 to April 15, 2018.
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