Blessing Okagbare facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Blessing Okagbare

Okagbare during the 200 m heat at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Personal information
Born	(1988-10-09) 9 October 1988 (age 36) Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria
Years active	2007–present
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	71 kg (157 lb)
Sport
Country	Nigeria
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Long jump, sprints
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 10.79 (2013, NR) 200 m: 22.04 (2018, AR) Long jump: 7.00 m (2013)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Nigeria Olympic Games Silver 2008 Beijing Long jump World Championships Silver 2013 Moscow Long jump Bronze 2013 Moscow 200 m Commonwealth Games Gold 2014 Glasgow 100 m Gold 2014 Glasgow 200 m Silver 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m relay Bronze 2018 Gold Coast 4×100 m relay All-Africa Games Gold 2011 Maputo Long jump Gold 2011 Maputo 4×100 m relay Gold 2015 Brazzaville 4×100 m relay Silver 2007 Algiers Long jump Silver 2011 Maputo 100 m African Championships Gold 2010 Nairobi 100 m Gold 2010 Nairobi Long jump Gold 2010 Nairobi 4×100 m relay Gold 2014 Marrakesh 100 m Gold 2014 Marrakesh 4×100 m relay Gold 2018 Asaba 4×100 m relay Silver 2012 Benin 100 m World Relays Gold 2015 Nassau 4×200 m relay Continental Cup Bronze 2010 Split 100 m

Blessing Okagbare is a former Nigerian track and field athlete. She was known for her skills in the long jump and sprints. Blessing won medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships. She also set a Commonwealth Games record in the 100 meters.

Okagbare was a very fast runner. Her best time in the 100 meters was 10.79 seconds. This was an African record for a while. She also held the African record in the 200 meters with a time of 22.04 seconds. Blessing won many gold medals at the African Championships and All-Africa Games. She was a top athlete for many years.

In 2021, Blessing Okagbare was suspended from athletics. This happened after she failed a drug test during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She was later banned for 10 years for breaking anti-doping rules. This ban means she cannot compete in athletics until July 30, 2032.

Blessing Okagbare's Journey in Athletics

Early Life and Start in Sports

Blessing Okagbare was born in Sapele, Delta, Nigeria, on October 9, 1988. Her family and teachers saw that she was naturally athletic. They encouraged her to try different sports. When she was a teenager, she played football.

In 2004, Blessing became interested in track and field. She tried many events like the long jump, triple jump, and high jump. She won medals in all of them at Nigerian school championships. Her first time competing internationally was at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics.

Winning Medals at Major Games

In 2007, Blessing set a new Nigerian record in the triple jump. She won a silver medal in the long jump at the All-Africa Games.

A year later, at just 19 years old, she won a silver medal. This was in the long jump at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. This was a huge achievement for her.

In 2010, Blessing had a fantastic year. She won two gold medals at the African Championships. She won the 100 meters and the long jump. She also helped her team win gold in the 4×100 meters relay. They set a new championship record.

Big Wins and Records

Blessing continued to shine in 2011. She won three medals at the 2011 All-Africa Games in Mozambique. She took silver in the 100 meters and gold in the long jump. She also won gold with her team in the 4×100 meters relay.

The year 2013 was a very important one for Blessing. She set a new personal best in the 200 meters. She also improved her long jump record to 7.00 meters. On July 27, 2013, she set a new African record in the 100 meters. She ran it in an amazing 10.79 seconds. She even beat the Olympic gold medalist in that race!

At the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Blessing won two more medals. She earned a silver medal in the long jump. She also won a bronze medal in the 200 meters race.

Commonwealth Games Success

In 2014, Blessing Okagbare competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She won gold medals in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. Her 100-meter time of 10.85 seconds broke the old Games record. By winning both races, she became only the fourth woman to achieve this "double" at the Commonwealth Games.

Later Career and Challenges

Blessing continued to compete in major events. In 2015, she helped her team win gold in the 4×200 meters relay at the World Relays. They set an African record.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Blessing did not win any medals. She reached the semifinals in the 100 meters and the final with her team in the 4×100 meters relay.

Her last major competition was the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She won her first race in the 100 meters. However, she was later suspended from the Games.

Suspension from Athletics

On February 18, 2022, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced a ban for Blessing Okagbare. She was banned for 10 years from athletics. This was because she broke several anti-doping rules. The ban started on July 30, 2021. The AIU later extended her ban by another year for more rule violations.

Personal Life

In September 2014, Blessing Okagbare married Nigerian footballer Igho Otegheri.

Personal Bests

• 60 metres – 7.10 (Fayetteville, AR 2021)
• 100 metres – 10.79 (+1.1 m/s, London 2013) NR
• 200 metres – 22.04 (Abilene, TX 2018)
• Long jump – 7.00 m (22 ft 11.46555119 in) (Monaco 2013)
• Triple jump – 14.13 m (46 ft 4.17421260 in) (Lagos 2007) AU20R

Her triple jump mark of 14.13 meters is the African under-20 record. Her 100-meter time of 10.79 seconds was the African senior record from 2013 until 2016.

Images for kids

• 

  Okagbare during the 200 m heat at the 2016 Rio Olympics

See also

In Spanish: Blessing Okagbare para niños