Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare was one of the big names in action at the IAAF World Challenge in Madrid on Thursday, and she raced to victory in the women’s 100m, setting a Season’s Best (SB) of 11.09s in the process.
Ecuador’s Ángela Tenorio (11.13s) and Lorène Dorcas Bazolo (11.28s) of Portugal followed in 2nd and 3rd respectively, with Norway’s Ezinne Okparaebo settling for 4th in 11.31s.
The Moscow 2013 Silver medallist had earlier dominated her heat with a time of 11.16s, finishing ahead of Okparaebo who clocked 11.26s.
The Commonwealth Games double sprint champion is one of the stars noticeably absent at the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships holding in Durban, and wasn’t on ground to defend her title from Marrakech 2014.
Coincidentally, while Okagbare was getting set for action in Madrid, her Championship Record (CR) of 11.00s was being erased by Cote d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahouré who clinched the continental title with a time of 10.99s.
By an interesting twist of fate, the Ivoirian had also bettered Okagbare’s African Record by one hundredth of a second to set a new mark and World Lead of 10.78s less than a fortnight ago.
Another Nigerian who was in action at the Meeting de Madrid was none other than the National Champion in the men’s 100m, Seye Ogunlewe, who wasn’t listed in the team to Durban.
However, the sprinter will be consoled by the fact that he set a new Personal Best (PB) of 10.18s, having finished 5th in the race won by Hassan Taftian in 10.04s. Bruno Hortelano (10.06s) and Kemar Hyman (10.13s) placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Ogunlewe first competed in the heats where he finished 4th with a time of 10.24s, while Chinedu Patrick placed 7th in a time of 10.39s. Ogho-Oghene Egwero who was also listed for the race Did Not Start (DNS).
2012 World Indoor Champion Nery Brenes of Costa Rica clocked the fastest time overall in the men’s 400m as he stormed to a National Record (NR) of 44.60s. Luka Janežic and Yousef Ahmed Masrahi followed in 45.22s and 45.51s.
The women’s event was won by Carline Muir in a PB of 51.05s, with Portugal’s Cátia Azevedo setting a PB and NR of 51.63s to place 2nd. Australia’s Anneliese Rubie was 3rd in 52.00s.
Amel Tuka ran the fastest time in the men’s 800m (1:45.23) to finish ahead of Burundi’s Antoine Gakeme (1:45.24) and former World Champion Mohammed Aman (1:45.62) of Ethiopia.
Orlando Ortega was the man to beat in the 110 Hurdles as he powered to victory in 13.17s, and was followed by Germany’s Gregor Traber and Balázs Baji who posted 13.37s and 13.41s respectively.
USA’s Jeshua Anderson won the men’s 400m Hurdles in a time of 48.96s, while Eric Cray posted 48.98s to come in 2nd. Homeboy Sergio Fernández was 3rd in 49.02s. African Games Champion Abdelmalik Lahoulou who was also missing in Durban, placed 7th in a time of 49.48s.
Reigning World Indoor Champion in the women’s Triple Jump Yulimar Rojas provided one of the highlights of the meeting as she leapt her way into the history books after setting a PB and NR of 15.02m to take the win.
Her new mark takes her to No.2 on the 2016 world rankings, just behind World Champion Caterine Ibarguen who tops the list with 15.04m. Susana Costa (14.31m) and Ana José Tima (14.22m) were 2nd and 3rd in the event.
Ruth Beitia returned to winning ways on home soil as she topped the field with a winning mark of 1.93m, while Germany’s Fabian Heinle won the men’s Long Jump title with a leap of 8.01m, which was 1cm better than Ignisious Gaisah’s 2nd place finish.
