Until the 2013 World Championships in Athletics, the last time any Nigerian made a podium finish at the games was in 1999, when Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu won the 100m hurdles silver and the 200m bronze medals, respectively.
Nigerian athletes were consistently dominated at the world event, leading to Nigeria’s poor rating amongst members of the world athletics body.
At the 2013 games, many would have presumed the Nigerian team would do nothing out of the ordinary, after all, the collective rating of the team was way below the standard of other world dominators at the event.
However, one Nigerian made all the difference for the country at the world championship.
Blessing Okagbare came as close as any Nigerian had ever come to become a world champion in athletics when she finished 2 centimeters shy of the Brittney Reese in Long Jump to pick the silver medal in the event.
The Nigerian super athlete made a riveting jump of 6.99m, only 1 centimeter shy of her personal best at the time.
Reese’s unprecedented win at the event secured her 3rd consecutive world championship Gold medal.
Amongst the athletes who competed in the event, Okagbare had the most consistent season run, having made a wind-assisted 7.14m jump in Doha, and winning at the Diamond League in Lausanne and Monaco in new PBs of 6.98m and 7.00m respectively.
Source: Making of Champions
Featured image source: Making of Champions
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