She came 6th in the final race, won by Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who held nothing back in producing a stunning performance to snatch a second women’s world 100m title on Monday.
There was a first-ever African medal in the world sprints for Ivorian silver medallist Murielle Ahoure (10.93), while defending champion Carmelita Jeter of the United States took bronze (10.94).
Okagbare, fresh from silver in Sunday’s long jump, faded badly and finished sixth (11.04) ahead of American duo Alexandria Anderson and Octavious Freeman. Along with Freeman, Okagbare had returned the slowest time of 11.08secs in her semi-final heat. Freeman however recorded a better reaction time of 0.171 as against Okagbare’s 0.181.
Both sprinters however failed to raise their performance in the final round.
The diminutive Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a double Olympic gold medallist and 2009 world champion showed all her big-day experience by making up for a sluggish start with a dynamic drive section that saw her race clear of the field by 30 metres.
The 1.52m-tall (5″0′) Jamaican, whose teammate Usain Bolt won the men’s blue riband event on Sunday, then kept her solid running style through the finish line for an imposing victory in the season’s fastest time of 10.71sec.
Her winning time of 10.71sec was just one-hundredth off her best, which ranks as the fourth fastest time ever run, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jeter and Marion Jones the only three sprinters to have gone faster.
Bronze for Jeter, 33, was bittersweet, as her medalling tied her with Jamaican sprint legend Merlene Ottey’s record of being a four-time world 100m medallist.
“I had my obstacles – I was starting to feel pain under my left butt cheek,” said Fraser-Pryce, whose victory is a massive boost for a Jamaican team hit by doping bans to sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown and Asafa Powell.
“I am surrounded by great people. I came here and did my best and actually won. It was really hurting but I knew what I worked for.
“I just came out here and I executed my race. I wasn’t focused on anyone else. It was all about execution.”
Ivorian silver medalist Ahoure in her reaction, beamed: “I’m excited to be here as an African woman. It’s such an honour to win a medal for the Ivory Coast.
“It’s good to be an inspiration,” she added. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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