Commonwealth Games medal prospect, Blessing Okagbare broke Mary Onyali’s 22-year 200m African record on Saturday at the Wes Kittley Invitational at Elmer Gray Stadium on the Abilene Christian University campus, Texas.
Okagbare, 29, clocked a personal best and World-leading time of 22.04s (0.5 wind), bettering Onyali’s record of 22.07 she clocked at the Weltklasse Zürich meet in 14 August 1996.
In a reaction to Okagbare’s feat, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) through its twitter handle congratulated her and tweeted
“Okagbare is BACK!!!
“Congratulations on your new Nigerian record and African record of 22.04s.
“A true Champion is not one who stays on the ground when defeated, but one who gets up, never gives up, and keeps fighting till she’s the BEST… We are glad you’re back where you belong, the TOP.”
Okagbare is part of the 37 athletes that would be flying Nigeria’s flag at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia next month and holds the Women’s 100 metres Commonwealth Games record when she won gold at the 2014 Glasgow games.
She is also an Olympic and World Championships medalist in the long jump event.