All-Nigeria Championships: Okagbare Wins Seventh Sprint Title

Blessing Okagbare-Ighotegunor on Thursday claimed her 7th All Nigeria 100m title as she won the women’s 100m event with a time of 11.02secs in Day One of action at the ongoing Rio Olympi Games Trials in Sapele, Delta State.

Okagbare who was conspicuously missing during the 2015 All-Nigeria Championships in Warri left no one in doubt that she was back to wrestle away her title from last year’s winner Gloria Asumnu when she effortlessly won her semi final race with a time of 11.22secs.

Thursday’s feat by Okagbare is her season’s best.
The Nigerian queen of the tracks told journalists after her victory that she will not rest on her oars as she expects tougher contest in Rio.

“I am focused on myself, I am not thinking of what others are doing,” Okagbare stated
Peace Ukoh finished second in 11.37sec while Gloria Asumnu was third 11.38secs in the women’s 100m race.
Aside Okagbare, another headline performance on the opening day of the Nigeria Olympic Trials came from Antwon Hicks who set a new national record (subject to ratification by the AFN) in the 110m Men’s Hurdles event.

Hicks’ winning time of 13.27 secs supersedes the previous record in the 110m hurdles owned by Williams Erese who ran 13.42secs in the United States in 2003.

The winning time has also qualified the former American runner for the Rio Olympics where he will be donning the colours of Nigeria in Rio.
Speaking with journalists after his race, Hicks said he felt very relieved to now have the Olympic standard after a couple of unsuccessful attempts.

“All year, I have been beating it (the standard) but it didn’t count because the results have been windy, this was one of my last races to get it done and I am happy I have done just that and also set a new national record. Am pretty sure this time will be among the top 20 times in the world at the moment”
Today, a keen contest is also expected in men’s sprint race where Divine Oduduru and Egwero Ogho-Oghene already whet the appetite of fans with their 10.23 wining times in their respective heats yesterday.

Defending champion Seyi Ogunlewe also won his heat but with a slower time of 10.25secs
In some of the other events on Thursday, Deborah Pam NSDC won the 5,000 with 17.23.50, Olumide Aderonke and Nuhu Elizabeth came 2nd and 3rd respectively with a time of 17.38.06 and 17.44.20 secs respectively
In the men’s version, Emmanuel Gyang won in a time of 14.52.75secs while the duo of Stephen Joshua and Solomon Yilbam came 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Nwanneka Okwelogu finished tops in the Women’s Discuss with her throw of 52.93M
Ihekandu Philomena was first with her time of 2.06.98secs in the women’s 800m final while Lagos athlete, Alabi Aminat, was 2nd with a time of 2.10.66secs and Lynda Friday came third posting a time of 2.11.05 secs.

Hamadjan Soudi claimed the top spot in the men’s 800m race; finishing with a time of 1.49.80secs
As widely expected, favourites for the 400m women’s event, George Patience Okon and Regina George won their heats and will be going head-on in today’s final.
The 2016 All-Nigeria Championships is serving as Olympic trial to be used in selecting Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics.