Nigeria’s Queen of the track Blessing Okagbare proved to be in amazing shape at the 3rd leg of the American Track League in Fayetteville (AR) when she laced up her spikes to compete in the women’s 60 metres final, racing to a big Personal Best (PB) of 7.10 seconds to take the win ahead of Jamaican Christania Williams who ran an equal PB of 7.14s, while Teahna Daniels claimed 3rd in 7.17s (SB).
Her time didn’t just earn her the win, but saw her move up places on the 2021 Global Toplist to become the joint 2nd fastest woman in the world at the distance alongside USA’s Javianne Oliver.
She also becomes the 7th fastest Nigerian woman ever and the fastest at that since 2012 when Gloria Asumnu ran 7.07s.
Minutes after that 60m race, she returned back to track, storming to a new PB of 23.01s to win the first heat of the 200m, the 2nd fastest time ever run by a Nigerian indoors and just missing out on Regina George’s National Record (NR) from 2013.
She finished ahead of Shawnti Jackson in a World Junior Lead of 23.23s and Ashley Henderson in 23.33s.
At the same meet, Divine Oduduru and Charles Okeze finished 5th and 7th respectively in their heats of the men’s 60m, running times of 6.70s and 6.83s.
Commonwealth Champion, Tobi Amusan was also in action at the Meeting Moselle Athlelor in Metz, powering to the win the women’s 60m Hurdles in a time of 8.00s, beating Taliyah Brooks who finished 2nd in a Season’s Best (SB) of 8.06s, just ahead of third-placed Luca Kozak in 8.07s.
Chidi Okezie also competed in the men’s 200m at the 2021 East Coast Invitational where he clocked a time of 21.36s to finish 3rd in the race won by World Champion Steven Gardiner in 20.71s, while Joseph Manu placed 2nd in 21.24s. He also ran the 60m, returning 6.84s for 5th place overall.
On the NCAA scene, Joseph Edafiadhe swept to a total Personal Best (PB) and NCAA DII Lead of 7.84m in the men’s Long Jump at the 2021 Buccaneer Invitational, breaking the Carson-Newman 44-year-old School Record held by Larry Cooke at 7.60m. He finished ahead of Dashaun Morgan who jumped 7.43m, as R’Lazon Brumfield got 3rd with 7.25m.
At the Arkansas Qualifier, KSU Junior Grace Anigbata landed an impressive indoor Personal Best (PB) and Meet Record (MR) of 13.61m to win the women’s Triple Jump, defeating Charisma Taylor who reached 13.30m, while Rhianna Phipps was 3rd with a PB of 13.11m.
In the men’s Shot Put at the South Carolina Invitational, Isaac Odugbesan (Alabama) sent his orb out to a Season’s Best (SB) of 19.33m for the win, defeating Josh Sobota who reached 19.25m in his best attempt. In 3rd place was Connor Bandel with a mark of 18.73m.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
