Moscow 2013: Okagbare finishes 6th in 100m

Hopes of having Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Blessing Okagbare, make it to the podium in the women’s 100m event was dashed on Monday evening as she could only manage a disappointing 6th place finish after posting a time of 11.04seconds in the final.

The 100m event was won by Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who finished in a world leading time of 10.71secs.

Fraser-Pryce produced an amazing display to complete a Jamaican 100m double. The 26-year-old set a world leading time of 10.71secs for a commanding win which followed hot on the heels of compatriot Usain Bolt, who took the men’s 100m title on Sunday.

It was also a similar scenario at the London Olympics when Okagabare showed tremendous form going to the final of the 100m event, only to falter when it mattered most.

Okagbare, who won a silver medal in the women’s long jump event on Sunday to end Nigeria’s 14-year wait for a medal in the world championships, began the race on a slow note and never recovered.

Nigeria will now turn her attention to the 200m, where Okagbare is also competing, and the 4x100m relays, where many believe there is a slim chance of Nigeria winning a medal.

Meanwhile, Africa took consolation in Ivorian, Murielle Ahoure, who came second in 10.93secs to give Ivory Coast its first world championships medal while defending world champion, Carmelita Jeter of the US, was third in 10.94.

From the moment Fraser-Pryce shot out of the blocks, there was only going to be one winner and her rivals were left watching the soles of her bright pink spikes and matching hair colours as she powered to the finish line.

The women’s 100m final featured the eight fastest entrants of the championships, but ultimately there was no doubt over the winner as Fraser-Pryce triumphed with the biggest winning margin in world championships history.

American English Gardner came 4th in 10.97secs same time as Kerron Stewart but the Jamaican was given fifth place.

Alexandria Anderson and Octavious Freeman, the other two of four US representatives in the final, rounded off the race with respective times of 11.10 and 11.16 to place 7th and 8th respectively.

PUNCH