By Leslie Koroma
Blessing Okagbare (in photo) I have been in contact with Blessing Okagbare since 2009 when she was still at UTEP; University of Texas at El-Paso chronicling her progress through interviews and articles about her performances on the track which has been nothing but sensational as well as about her life off the track.
Recently Blessing broke the African Record lowering it to 10.79 seconds; a feat that has been a long time coming for her as I had no doubt that among the current crop of African women sprinters, she stood the best chance of vanquishing it.
Blessing is a humble and very unassuming athlete who is a very hard worker that does not leave anything to chance despite her natural talent. I say despite because when some individuals realize they do have natural talents to be great in doing something in life they tend to take the lax approach to it, in Blessing’s case, she does not take anything for granted.
Blessing has come a long way from a onetime triple jumper, an event which earned her an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas at El Paso to the now current African record holder in the 100 meters for women.
Recently Blessing broke the African Record lowering it to 10.79 seconds; a feat that has been a long time coming for her as I had no doubt that among the current crop of African women sprinters, she stood the best chance of vanquishing it.
Blessing is a humble and very unassuming athlete who is a very hard worker that does not leave anything to chance despite her natural talent. I say despite because when some individuals realize they do have natural talents to be great in doing something in life they tend to take the lax approach to it, in Blessing’s case, she does not take anything for granted.
Blessing has come a long way from a onetime triple jumper, an event which earned her an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas at El Paso to the now current African record holder in the 100 meters for women.
In the early years of her track & field career she competed for Nigeria at the 2007 All African Games in the Triple Jump in which she set the National record of 14.13 meters for women, she however did not medal at the games as she came in 4th, but as a junior in the track world that was enough to send signals to the rest of the world that a sensation had been found, and that is indeed what she has been since that spectacular performance in 2007.
Blessing was a back to back sprint titles champion in the 100 meters in the NCAA as well as the long Jump, performances which earned her honors of athlete of the year at UTEP.
She is at the cusp of becoming the very first ever African woman World Sprint Champion bringing the title of the fastest woman on earth to the African continent for the very first time as she is heavily favored to win the 100 meters at the ongoing 14th edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships going on in Moscow, Russia from August 10th – 18th.
Early on in the year I had caught up with Blessing to talk about her career and spectacular performances that she has been putting up and also about her recent engagement to her fiancé something which brings a bright smile to her face when mentioned, here is that interview: (Please click audio link below to listen the interview)
Blessing was a back to back sprint titles champion in the 100 meters in the NCAA as well as the long Jump, performances which earned her honors of athlete of the year at UTEP.
She is at the cusp of becoming the very first ever African woman World Sprint Champion bringing the title of the fastest woman on earth to the African continent for the very first time as she is heavily favored to win the 100 meters at the ongoing 14th edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships going on in Moscow, Russia from August 10th – 18th.
Early on in the year I had caught up with Blessing to talk about her career and spectacular performances that she has been putting up and also about her recent engagement to her fiancé something which brings a bright smile to her face when mentioned, here is that interview: (Please click audio link below to listen the interview)
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