African Sports Monthly International Women's Day Special Edition | Page 58

Blessing Okagbare celebrates after her
victory in Shanghai

Come the Outdoor season the focus then turned on to dominant stars and global icons like Blessing
Okagbare of Nigeria who sent a strong warning to her rivals at the second Diamond League meet on the
Calendar in Shanghai China where she beat Jamaica’s Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce to take the 100 meters.
The season looked bright for her till injury hit and that misfortune continued and stayed with her till the
Beijing Track and Field World Championship were she was again hampered and could not complete her
mission due to the injury.

Marie Jose Ta Lou of Cote D’Ivoire in action

This was where the
spotlight shifted to Marie
Jose Ta Lou of the Ivory
Coast who literally came out
of nowhere to steal the
spotlight for African women
sprinters at the Beijing
World Championships
finishing 4th in the 100
meters finals barely out of
the medals as she outshined
even her own
countrywomen and African
record holder in the 60
meters Muriel Ahoure.

Nigeria’s Regina George put up a brilliant performance as she qualified into the 400 meters’ finals but
was unable to come away with a medal.