Blessing Okagbare, Nigerian track and field athlete, has become the second-fastest woman in the world after she finished 10.63 seconds at the National Olympics trials in Lagos.
The 32-year-old scorched to a 10.63 seconds finish to tie Jamaican, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce time as 2021 world lead.
She finished the race at 10.62 seconds but a +2.7 tailwind forced the time back to 10.63 seconds.
The finish time which ended up a millisecond behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on the World Athletics’ log also breaks her own personal record as the fastest African and Nigerian woman ever.
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Okagbare says the race has given her renewed confidence in a memorable performance at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“I feel like Blessing Okagbare once again. And I just want to go out every time and do my best. I feel happy. I’m really happy that this time came down today. It boosts my confidence. I just hope this same thing happens at the Olympics,” she said after the race.
“I’ve been working on everything in general. I hope it clicks where it counts at the big stage. I have to go to the Games and do better than this or reciprocate it. This finish boosts my confidence going to the Games.”
Okagbare’s record is, however, subject to ratification by the World Athletics.