There has never been more hope for Nigerian athletics like there was in the 2013 season. Now as the year winds up, the country’s athletics officials are full of expectations as they equally take measures to get good results next season.

The highlights of the year include Blessing Okagbare breaking the 14-year old African women 100m record. Okagbare ran 10.86 seconds to rest Gloria Alozie’s 10.90. Okagbare was also tipped to shatter Chioma Ajunwa’s 7.12m long jump record, but she could only manage a 6.99m to win silver at the World Championships in Russia, Mosccow. She also won a bronze in the 200m. The glory of it was that; it was the first time in over a decade Nigeria will be winning medals in the championships.

Reports from Abuja, where the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN has camped about 74 athletes in preparations for the 2014 campaigns, indicated that progress is being made and athletics coaches have commended the federation for breaking a long standing practice of fire-brigade planning.

Still basking in the euphoria of Blessing Okagbare saving Nigeria the blushes at last month’s World Championships in Moscow, Delta State sports council boss, Amaju Pinnick has hinted that promising juniors like Divine Oduduru, Ese Brume and others will be given financial support to achieve global status in athletics.

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.

Governor Em-manuel Uduaghan of Delta State yesterday honoured Delta-born Africa’s fastest woman, Blessing Okagbare with a charge on politicians not to distract the athlete as she prepares for the 2016 Olympics.