IF Blessing Okagbare, the 25-year-old Nigerian lady who is putting the country’s name on the global map, were a footballer, Nigerians would have appreciated her achievements more profoundly.

President Goodluck Jonathan rewarded Blessing with N3m and her first coach, Mr Daniel Esebinimo, with N3.5m.  The President also promised them national honours and asked the Ministries of Sports and Finance to assist her preparations for the 2016 Olympics.

At the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Okagbare won silver in the long jump. Her jump of 6.99m was two centimetres – less than inch – short of the gold medal. In the 100m final, she placed sixth with 11.04s. Okagbare lost the silver in 200m to Ivorien Murielle Ahoure in a photo finish. She is an Olympic and World medallist in the long jump, and the African record holder in the 100m. She had an incredible 2013 season, making her presence felt in the long jump, 100m and 200m.

Blessing has come a long way. At 19, she won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She completed 100 m and long jump double at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships for University of Texas at El Paso. She had an undefeated collegiate streak that year.

However the 2012 Olympics were not as successful as the 2008 Olympics for her. She set a new personal best of 10.92s in the 100m semi-final but placed eighth in the final.

On July 27, 2013, at the London Anniversary Games, Okagbare set a new African record of 10.79s in 100m, beating reigning 100m Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and eclipsing the record of 10.90s her compatriot Glory Alozie set in 1998.

Some highlights of her career are:
· 100m 10.79s London 27 Jul 2013, African record
· 200m 22.31s Walnut, CA 20 April 2013
· 300m 37.04s Pasadena, CA 23 Mar 2013
· Long jump 7m Monaco 19 Jul 2013
· Triple jump 14.13m Lagos, 19 May 2007
· 1 x Olympic Games bronze medallist
· 1 x World Championships silver medallist
· 1 x World Championships bronze medallist
· 1 x All-Africa Games gold medallist
· 2 x All-Africa Games silver medallist
· 4 x African Championships gold medallist
· 1 x African Championships silver medallist
· 3 x Olympic Games finalist
· 5 x World Championships finalist
· 6 x Diamond League meeting winner

A few things are worth mentioning. Resources Delta State Government provides make her participation in these competitions possible. The recognition for Mr. Esebinimo, her youth coach, would encourage coaches of younger athletes.

Blessing needs a lot of support to win medals at the 2016 Olympics, and remain a blessing to the nation, she needs the assistance now, two years to the Games.