After Blessing Okagbare’s feat at the Paris Diamond League, Sani Ndanusa has charged her to remain focused and keep up the tempo as the country prepares for Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Okagbare (left) en route to 200m victory in Paris ahead of Olympic champion, Allyson Felix (centre), and World champion, Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce
The 2014 Commonwealth Games (officially the 20th edition) will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom from July 23 to August 3.
Ndanusa is President of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC).
Okagbare turned her fortunes around in the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Paris Diamond League meeting penultimate Saturday with a 200m victory over Olympic champion, Allyson Felix, and world champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Two days earlier, she had failed to complete her 100m in Lausanne following a stumble.
The 25-year-old Nigerian sprinter, who took 200m bronze and long jump silver at last year’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow, beat Felix in the final couple of metres, clocking 22.32sec while the American finished at 22.34sec.
Fraser-Pryce, whose season has been undermined by a foot injury, could only manage fifth place in 22.63.
Ndanusa said Okagbare and other athletes in Team Nigeria need the support of all and sundry for the country to excel at the Commonwealth Games.
He said: “There is no doubt that she (Okagbare) is the country’s brightest chance at the Commonwealth Games and an inspiration to other athletes.
“She has proved beyond reasonable doubts that the country can really rely on her to deliver and motivate others to perform too.
“The only way we can get the best out of her at the Commonwealth Games is to continue to encourage her and advise her to remain focused as well as keep up the tempo as Team Nigeria prepares for the Games next month,” said Ndanusa.
Okagbare could not finish her race in the 100m event at the Diamond League meet in Lausanne, Switzerland. She stumbled and retired, having lost grounds on other athletes whom she started the race with.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye emerged victorious in a time of 10.98sec slightly beating Cote d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahoure in second position.