Blessing Okagbare has sent some words to Nigerians: ”I’m sorry I couldn’t win any medal here. I worked so hard, spent resources to prepare well only to be frustrated by injury. I knew what the expectations were and I really wanted to live up to them. But here I am. I’m sorry.”The sprinter who won bronze in the Long Jump event of the Beijing Olympics could not qualify for the final of same event here. Before then, she had reached the final of the 100m event winning in all her heats but placing last with a time of 11.01 after posting two personal best times running 10.93 seconds and 10.92 in the first heat and the semifinal respectively.
When it mattered most Blessing ran in pain as she had scooped injury. ”I have pains. It’s a cramp,” she said as she left the stadium after the final.
Many sports buffs had expressed fear that the pressure on Blessing might make her crack at the London Games. The whole country relied on her for a possible gold medal.
Nigeria would celebrate if a bronze medal comes their way. Their athletes fell here on a daily basis. The Games end tomorrow.
Ajoke Odumosu was another Nigerian in a final. She ran the 400m Hurdles and after setting national record, she placed last in the final too.
But she left the stadium, with her head high, saying that running in the final of an Olympic event was a no mean achievement. Odumosu was one athlete who had to borrow money to prepare for the Olympics. Nigeria, her country, could not help her when she needed help most. Okagbare said she invested her own resources too.
”I know the investment that I made to get to where I was before that final. I’m still shocked at the way the injury came. In seconds, everything I worked for is gone. But you know that it happens in sports. I’m really disappointed but I’ll move on. I believe in the supremacy of God and I know that I’ll be fine”.
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