[FILES] Sprinter Blessing Okagbare<br />PHOTO: AFP
• Okagbare, Oduduru feature in mixed relays
Team Nigeria began its campaign for relays qualification for the Tokyo Olympics Games in Texas, United States yesterday with the sprint duo of Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru competing in the mixed relays.
Team Nigeria missed the World Relays in Poland two weeks ago due to visa issues. But the nation’s athletes appeared in their first competition in the U.S. Relay tour yesterday at the Prairie View A& M University, Texas.
According to entries of Team Nigeria athletes, Grace Nwokocha and Joy Udo-Gabriel competed in the women’s 100m, while Enoch Adegoke, Jeremiah Jakpa and Godson Oke Oghenebrume were the country’s representatives in the men’s 100m.
For the 200m men, Jeremiah Jakpa was the sole representative, same as Haisha Bisiolu in women’s 200m.
Praise Idamadudu, Imaobong Nse Uko and Patience Okon George competed in the women’s 400m, just as Sikiru Adeyemi, Samson Nathaniel and Ifeanyi Ojeli were the country’s runners in men’s 400m. Timothy Emoghene was Nigeria’s sole runner in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Only Nigeria and Japan were the countries listed in the PVAMU invitational in Texas yesterday. They competed with some American clubs, including Jamp Smart Texas, Nike Red Bull, Adidas, Athletics TX, Dreamchasersz, Elite Performance TC, Houston Elite, Texas Southern and Tracksmith.
The Guardian learnt yesterday that the duo of Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru were listed for Nigeria’s mixed relay events late yesterday. The duo was not in Team Nigeria’s 4x100m relay teams yesterday.
While the 100m sprint started at 3.00 p.m. (U.S. time), the relay events commenced at 5.30 p.m., which made it difficult to get results of the events due to the time difference between Nigeria and the U.S.
Team Nigeria’s next outing will be on May 18 at AP Ranch, Dallas, before another relay event scheduled for May 25 in Texas. Team Nigeria’s last relay event in the tour of the U.S. will hold on May 29 in
Florida.
The Guardian further learnt that some Nigerian athletes also listed for the U.S. Relays tour were still in their hotel rooms in Abuja awaiting their visa yesterday.