2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony: Okagbare appointed Nigeria’s flag bearer

Reigning champion in the 100m and 200m races, Blessing Okagbare has been appointed Nigeria’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the 21st Commonwealth Games which holds today at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.

Okagbare participated in both the 100m and 200m races of the last edition of the Games held in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014.

She made it through to the finals of the 100m and won with a time of 10.85, breaking the games record of 10.91 seconds set by Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie 12 years earlier at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Okagbare also won the gold medal in the 200m with a time of 22.25 seconds. In doing so, she became the fourth woman to win the 100m and 200m double at the Commonwealth Games.

The sprinter is among the 37 athletes that will be representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games but this time, she has opted to compete in only the relay race.