This is indeed very sad times for Nigerian sports
following Blessing Okagbare’s decision not to start
the women 200m at the IAAF World Championships
on-going in Beijing, China.
This is against the background of her poor showing
in the women 100m where she placed last.
Before that race on Monday, Okagbare, had shown
signs of distress.
Her coach was seen whispering words of
encouragement into her ears.
Yesterday, she was warming up for the heats of the
200m, but when the athletes were asked to report
to the call room, she was nowhere to be found.
“We don’t know for sure what happened to her.
Personally, I have tried the lines of the technical
officials and there wasn’t any response,” said
Olukoyde Thomas the AFN spokesman in Beijing.
Prior to the championships, Okagbare had excluded
herself from the national trials in Warri, with an
alibi that she was unfit and needed medical
attention.
She was given a wild card by the AFN.
Her name is also missing from the start-list of the
long jump event, which starts today.
