200m: Bronze For Blessing….Should Have Been Silver

Blessing Okagbare has won the bronze medal in the 14th IAAF Athletic Championship taking place in Moscow with a time of 22.32s, the same time with the silver medallist, Murielle Ahoure of Cote D’Ivore.

Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica won the Gold with an impressive time of 22.17s.

America’s hope in the 200m event, Allyson Felix, couldn’t complete the event unfortunately, as she succumbed to an undisclosed injury that made her limp off the track even before the 100m bend. Commentators believe it was her hamstring.

Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce led the pack right from the onset leaving Ahoure and Okagbare to battle for the silver medal. Blessing caught up with Ahoure, overtook her just slightly with only about 40m left but the Ivorien athlete who already had the silver medal in her sight doubled up her speed, which led to a photo-finish with Okagbare.

There is little doubt left that the 200m event is Blessing Okagabre’s forte. If the race had been a 210m event there was no doubt that she would have clinched the silver from Ahoure because she seemed to be able to go on even after the race while the other athletes were already looking spent.

We say a big congratulations to Nigeria’s golden girl even if the gold medal still appears elusive for now.