Ogba Backs Okagbare to Win Gold in 2012
Ben Efe
4 April 2010
Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba, said that Nigeria's track and field sensation, Blessing Okagbare, can win gold at the 2012 Olympics, if she maintains the momentum that has seen her make good jumps at the American collegiate games this season.
The University of Texas El Paso senior, set a new long jump record at the Texas Relays at the weekend with jump of 6.88m and later ran a wind assisted 11.10 in the women 100m.
"She can win gold for us at the 2012 Olympics if she continues with the good work she has been doing.
"But we really need to give her all the necessary support just like her school is doing. Do you know that during the last world championships, UTEP sent a doctor to monitor her?
“She is a great athlete and she has potential to win the long jump and the 100m,” Ogba said.
Okagbare is undefeated as a senior in both indoor and outdoor competition this season.
At the recent NCAA indoor championships, she became the first female athlete in UTEP’s illustrious track and field history to win two titles in the same national meet, when she won the long jump and 60m dash.
London 2012 - Okagbare Has No Double Dream
Ben Efe
9 April 2010
Nigeria’s track and field sensation, Blessing Okagbare will make no mistake of pursuing the women 100m and long jump gold at the London 2012 Olympics.
Okagbare’s mainstay will be the long jump at the Olympics. As all serious athletes are making their calculations towards London 2012, which is two years away, Okagbare is not left out. She has been warming up with good performances in the sprint and long jump. She currently tops the world list in the outdoor season so far with 11.10 seconds in the 100m and 6.88m in the long jump
But her newly acquired status as world leader will not becloud Okagbare’s vision for success at the next Olympics. She declared that her concentration is the long jump, the event that bounced her up to world reckoning at the Beijing 2008 Olympics where she won bronze. In that event Okagbare did not qualify for the final, she got there by default when Lyudmila Blonska of Ukraine was thrown out for a doping offence.
However, Okagbare does not want to go through the back door at London 2012. The good training by coach Bob Kitchens so far, has done Okagbare a world of good in her nutrition and work outs that have seen her remain in good form. “I am running fast and I have to give God the glory for it. I’m looking forward to 2012 and my focus will be the long jump,” Okagbare said.
In 2009 Okagbare had a bad season, she had a sore knee during the NCAA championships and during training for the World Championships, she pulled a hamstring as officials tried to load her with training.
But this season has started well for her and according to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba, she has the potential to remain on top, if she is given support.
"It costs a lot to prepare an athlete to win gold at the Olympics. Okagabre has potentials to do just that at the 2012 Olympics,"Ogba stated.
Yeah, just develop technique when you are younger and then as a senior run fast enough so you don’t have to worry about doing too much LJ practice - your speed will take you over 7m!
She just ran 10.7h +1.3 at UTEP’s meet. The timing system had an error so the time was rounded to 10.94. 10.94 is a conservative mark though as it appears to have been a bit faster than that (10.90?) based on available video footage.
