By Ben Efe

Blessing Okagbare, ran her fastest time this season at the Saturday’s Diamond League in Eugene,Oregon USA, but was unable to match her top rivals in the women 100m. This has moved renowned Nigerian coach, Toni Urhobo to urge the African and Commonwealth champion to slow down or else she burn herself out.

Okagbare

Urhobo argued that Okagbare by trying to top the likes of Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, Murielle Ahoure will ultimately burn herself out and in the long miss the big price of winning an Olympic gold in other events such as the long jump and the 200m where she has more potentials

Okagbare ran 10.87 seconds in Eugene, but was forth in the race won by Fraser-Pryce in a photo-finish with Ahoure.

“The women 100m is highly competitive as was shown at the Eugene Diamond League. We have almost the entire field going bellow 11.00 seconds. Okagbare with her fastest time was not even in the first three in Eugene.

“The major women so far are Shelly Ann Fraser and Murielle Ahoure of Cote’d Ivoire. Okagbare will be burning herself out chasing these woman. If I was handling her, I will tell her to concentrate on the 200m and the long jump where her strength lay,”said Urhobo from his base in Florida, USA.

He stated that Okagbare should turn her focus to next year’s Olympics, which may be her last chance of winning a major event.

“Though the 100m is more prestigious and there is plenty of money. But of what use if you cannot be come a world or Olympic champion? This is why Okagbare must preserve herself for the 2016 Olympics. As Olympic champion you earn more money, because there is an appearance fee attached when you are going for a meet. She is not getting any younger and she need to win a major title before her career is over.”