World Relays: Okagbare powers Nigeria to gold

Nigeria’s fortunes at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas took an up swing with the women 4x200m snatching the gold in a dramatic final, staged in the early hours of Sunday. Okagbare started for the Nigerian quartet, she did well to stay close to the event’s defending champions, the USA who took a commanding lead from the start. They were on course for another win, but disaster overwhelmed the American ladies at the final changeover.

Janeba Tarmon and Allyson Felix failed to reach an understanding, it ended with Felix crashing to the
floor. Regina Geroge, Dominique Duncan and Christy Udoh made no such mistake, they coasted home to victory at 1.30.52 seconds to win the 50,000 dollars at stake also set a new national record.

Jamaica finished a distant second in 1:31.73, one-and-a-half seconds slower than their time from last year, but one place higher on the podium. Germany were third in 1:33.61 while China set an Asian record of 1:34.89 in fourth.

I am very delighted with the performance of our Women winning the 4x200m relay in a World leading time of 1:30.52s ahead of all the leading nations – USA, Jamaica, Bahamas, France,
Germany, China and Ireland. I had said it before now that we can rely on these women to showcase
our prowess in the Relays and they have not disappointed us,” Athletics Federation of Nigeria
technical director Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama stated