Beijing long jump bronze medalist, Blessing Okagbare, has high expectations for the coming season, and not just because it’s an Olympic year. Last year was a difficult one with injury dampening the expectations of an athlete who until then had been on a continuous upward curve.
Blessing says: “Last season, I wasn’t expecting so much. I had my surgery and also made the transition from the collegiate season to the professional circuit. I wasn’t expecting too much.”
The surgery was repair to a stress fracture to the tibia which meant a winter of rehabilitation rather than the hard training that sets an athlete up for the summer season.
She’s quite satisfied with training at the moment. “It’s going on well. (In fact), pretty decent. Right now, I’m doing long runs, power lifting and technical work,” she said.
Last season was not a complete write-off. Blessing performed creditably in the 100m in the World Championships in Daegu, finishing fifth. She says: “I was really trying to get myself back into shape. I wasn’t going to go super fast.”
She followed that up with long jump gold and 100m silver at the 2011 All-African Games in Maputo.
When you add that gold medal to the Olympic bronze she won in Beijing you’d be forgiven for thinking long jump is her event. Her manager Paul Doyle reckons she could become the best in the world if she concentrates on the sand pit, but she doesn’t see that as her focus for what she does in an Olympic year.
“I’m enjoying sprinting right now, but it can be a combination of both. Maybe also in the 200m.”
Okagbare has qualified for all three events in London, although the timetable suggests a choice between the 200m and long jump.
The surgery last year is not the only difficulty she has had recently in her career.
Blessing has graduated from a university in Texas and moved to Los Angeles to join the stable of renowned sprinting coach John Smith.
“I’ve had three coaches in four years. There’ve been a few changes in my life, but I’ve been able to deal with it. John Smith is a very good coach. I’m not saying other coaches I’ve worked with are not good, but I really think we can work together as coach and athlete. I want to get better, that’s my goal. When I went down to see what he does, I was pleased with what I saw.”
For an athlete who has big ambitions for the coming season, hooking up with Smith is a change that could make all the difference.
“I’m aiming really high. I wasn’t sure about getting to the final of the world championship, but I did and that was a huge one for me. I know it’s going to be hard and tough. I’m here to push for the top three. If I get it that’s it, if I don’t there’s 2016.”
There will be pressure from an expectant nation on her shoulders in 2012 and she admits the Olympics are different.
“When I went to the first Olympics, I was young and a bit naïve. It was when I went out for qualifying and got to the final (that it hit home). It’s different, yet similar to the World Championship but different to a Commonwealth or African Championship. It’s a world event and you’re competing with the best people in the world, but it does differ for individuals.”
There is still a decision to be taken about whether to have an indoor season and go to Turkey for the World Championships in March.
“I might have an indoor season, but it’ll be really late. I’m not sure if I want to go for the worlds. I’ll see if I make the standard.”
With winter training going well, expect her upward curve of achievements to be resumed next year.
Personal Bests
Outdoors
100m: 11.00 (2010) / 10.98w (2010) 200m: 22.71 (2010) Long Jump: 6.91 (2008) Triple Jump: 14.13 (2007)
Indoors
60m:? 7.18 (2010)
200m:? 23.52 (2010)
Long Jump: 6.87 (2010)
Triple Jump: 13.64 (2008)
Yearly Progression
60m/100m/200m: 2008: 23.76; 2009: 11.16/-; 2010: (7.18i)/11.00 (10.98w)/22.71(23.52i) Long Jump: 2006: 6.16; 2007: 6.51; 2008: 6.91(6.68i); 2009: 6.73, 2010: 6.88 (6.87i); Triple Jump: 2006: 13.38; 2007: 14.13 (AJR); 2008: 14.07 (13.64i); 2009: 13.59; 2010: (13.55i);
Career Highlights
2006:? 6 q?? IAAF World Junior Championships, Beijing (Long Jump) 5.97.
2006:? 8 q IAAF World Junior Championships (Beijing)?? (Triple Jump) 12.81 2007 1st Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Lagos) (Long Jump) 6.50.
2007: 1st Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Lagos) (Triple Jump) 14.13(AJR).
2007: 4th All-Africa Games (Algiers)??????????????? (Triple Jump) 13.77.
2007: 2nd All-Africa Games (Algiers)????????? (Long Jump) 6.46.
2008: 2nd NCAA Indoor Championships (Fayetteville, AR) (Long Jump) 6.68i.
2008: 3rd NCAA Outdoor Championships (Des Moines, IA) (Long Jump) 6.59.
2008: 2nd NCAA Outdoor Championships (Des Moines, IA)? (Triple Jump) 14.01.
2008: 1st??? Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Abuja)? (Long Jump) 6.86
2008: 1st??? Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Abuja)?? (Triple Jump)?? 14.07.
2008: 3rd? Olympic Games, Beijing (Long Jump) 6.91.
2009: 1st Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Abuja) (100m) 11.16.
2009: 1st Nigeria Track and Field Champs (Abuja) (Long Jump) 6.73.
2010: 1st NCAA Indoor Championships (Fayetteville, AR)? (60m) 7.18i.
2010: 1st NCAA Indoor Championships (Fayetteville, AR) (Long Jump) 6.87i.
2010: 1st? NCAA Outdoor Championships (Eugene, OR)? (100m)????? 10.98w.
2010: 1st? NCAA Outdoor Championships (Eugene, OR)?? (Long Jump)???? 6.79.
2010: 1st Nigeria Track & Field Champs (Calabar) (100m) 11.06.
2010: 1st??? Africa Athletics Championships (Nairobi)?? (100m)?? 11.03 (CR).
2010:? 1st??? Africa Athletics Championships (Nairobi)? (Long Jump)????? 6.62.
2010: 1st??? Africa Athletics Championships (Nairobi)?? (4X100m)?? 43.45 (CR).
2011: 1st? All African Games (Maputo) (long jump) 6.50.
2011: 1st All African Games (Maputo) (4X100m) 43.34.
Source from nigeriaolympiccommittee.org/iaaf.org
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