Nigeria pins hope on Okagbare on Beijing Day 3

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria will hope that sprint sensation Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor can produce the magic in the women’s 100m finals today at the Beijing national stadium.

Okagbare, who is the African and Commonwealth 100m champion, cruised through the first rounds, winning in 11.07 seconds to book her place in this evening semi-finals at the iconic Birds Nest stadium.

Okagbare has however been drawn in a tough semi-final section with reigning world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica running in lane six and the Nigerian running from lane four.

Sandwiched between the two gladiators is the much improved Ivorian Marie-Joséé Ta Lóu who ran 10.95 seconds in the first round on Sunday morning.

Also drawn in the same semi-final section is American English Gardner, who on paper is the second fastest woman in the world coming to the Beijing 2015 world championship, and Sherone Simpson from Jamaica – the 2006 Commonwealth Games champion.

The other Nigerians in action on Sunday, Amaka Ogoegbunam, crashed out at the first hurdle as she came in last in her heat in the women’s 400m hurdles event in 58.16 seconds, thereby joining her male counterpart Miles Ukaoma to exit the Beijing world championships at the first hurdle.

Uhunoma Osazuwa, however, fell short of the national heptathlon record, finishing in 18th position overall with 5,951 points, after a disappointing 36.88m throw in the Javelin gave her only 608 points.

She concluded the event with a creditable 2:21.36 finish in the women’s 800m to garner 805 points.

AthleticsAfrica at the Beijing Olympic Stadium for TheCable Nigeria