I’m working hard on my start – Okagbare

Nigeria and Africa’s queen of the tracks, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguono, has reiterated her determination to improve on her race start in order to win more medals in 2015. Okagbare who won the 100m and 200m gold at the Commonwealth Games as well as gold medals in 100m and Sprint Relay at the Africa Championships in 2014, expressed confidence about winning medals at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.

“I needed to work on the first part of my race. I don’t want to say I was a terrible starter but the first part of my race was very poor,” she admitted in an interview on IAAF website. The 25 year old star who is ready to compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m, said she might consider doing the long jump too if the timing of the schedule allows.
“I might do a 400m. I haven’t run one since I was a little girl running barefoot, but I fancy giving it a go.” Recalling her experience at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Sapele-born star relishes winning the 100m finishing 0.18 clear of Jamaica’s silver medallist and former two-time world 100m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown. “To run 10.85 in the 100m final was a great accomplishment for me. I had never won a major 100m title before.

It was my first Commonwealth Games and it was great that I was able to deliver in the 100m sprint, added Okagbare who wedded former Nigerian international footballer Igho Otegheri in November.