Okagbare Struggles in Hengelo, Hopeful of Better Performance in Oslo

Okagbare Struggles In Hengelo, Sets Sights On Oslo By Admin Former Commonwealth Games double sprints champion Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor failed to sparkle on Sunday at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games, an annual track and field event at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadion in Hengelo, Netherlands as part of the IAAF World Challenge Meetings, BSN Sports reports. The Nigeria double sprints record holder ran 23.03 seconds to place sixth in the half lap event won by home girl Dafne Schippers (22.44 seconds) with Bulgaria’s Lalova-Collio Ivet (22.79 seconds) and USA’s Jefferson Kyra (22.81 seconds) second and third respectively. Okagbare-Ighoteguonor was rewarded with €500 for her effort while Schippers ran away with the €5,000 top prize money. Meanwhile Okagbare-Ighoteguonor will hope to make amends on Thursday when she lines up in the 100m event at the Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, the fourth of the 14-leg IAAF Diamond League series. In her first trip to the Scandinavia country last year, Okagbare-Ighoteguonor leapt 6.48m to place seventh in the long jump. On Thursday she will be up against the woman who dethroned her as African record holder in the blue ribband event, Ivorian Murielle Ahoure, reigning Commonwealth Games fastest woman, Ahye Michelle-Lee of Trinidad and Tobago, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and South Africa’s Carina Horn. Ahoure who placed fourth (10.96 seconds) in Doha in the opening leg of the Diamond League meetings and second behind compatriot Marie-Josee Ta Lou in Eugene last month has had impressive runs in Oslo.She won the 200m in 2012, second in 100m in 2013 before winning the blue ribband race in 2015. Okagbare-Ighoteguonor is placed fourth in the Diamond League standings with nine points, six behind Ta Lou who picked maximum points with her wins in Doha and Eugene. The top eight finishers on points will qualify to run in the final in Zurich on August 31, 2018.