– Okagbare came second in Heat 3 of the women’s 100m – The Nigerian has qualified for the semi-final – The 27-year-old will also represent Nigeria in the women’s sprint double Nigeria’s top sprinter Blessing Okagbare has cruised to the semi-final of the women’s 100m semifinals. The 27-year-old finished 2nd in Heat 3 behind USA’s Tori Bowie on Friday, August 12. Blessing Okagbare Bowie and Okagbare both cruised through heat 3 in a time of 11:13s and 11:16s respectively as Athletics begin at the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio. Recall that Okagbare who won bronze in long at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, ran 11.01s to come last the women’s 100m final of London 2012. Ann Fraser-Pryce won the title with a time of 10.75s. Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure who is currently Africa’s fastest woman with a time of 10.78s is expected to pose a major challenge for Fraser-Pryce and Bowie in the sprint double – along with Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare, who won gold in the 100m and 200m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 will also represent Nigeria in the women’s sprint double and 4x100m relay, as well as long jump. Team Nigeria will feature athletes in the men/women’s 100m and 200m, men’s 110m hurdles, women’s 100m hurdles, men/women 400m hurdles, women’s long, women’s high jump, women’s discuss and men/women shot put. Others are men’s triple jump, women’s heptathlon and women’s 4x100m. Seye Ogunlewe who is Nigeria’s current champion will feature in the men’s 100m alongside Divine Oduduru and Ogho-Oghene Egwero. Tosin Oke will participate in the men’s triple jump. Posted on 13/08/16