Olympics: Nigeria’s Last Hope In Women’s 100m Nwokocha Crashes Out

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Sports News Saturday, July 31st, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Team Nigeria’s Grace Nwokocha has crashed out of women’s 100m at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.

She crashed out after finishing fifth in heat 3 of women’s 100m semis with a time of 11.07 seconds.

Earlier, Blessing Okagbare and Grace Nwokocha on Friday qualified for the semifinals, giving Nigeria hope of winning a medal.

Grace Nwokochahad finished third with a personal best of 11.00 seconds, becoming the fifth-fastest Nigerian woman in history.

Nwokocha was pitched against the legendary Jamaican and current world fastest female sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica in heat 5.

World champion Fraser-Pryce, chasing a third gold medal in the event, surged into the final at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium with a time of 10.73sec, the fastest time of the semi-finals.

Okagbare who is the reigning Nigerian record holder in both the 100m and 200m finished first in her heat in 11.05 seconds to advance to the semi-final before she was barred from the Olympics after failing a drug test, the first doping case of the Tokyo games track and field competition, officials said Saturday.

The Athletics Integrity Unit said in a statement that Okagbare, who won her opening heat of the women’s 100m on Friday, had tested positive for human growth hormone.

The out-of-competition test was conducted on July 19, the AIU said. Okagbare was notified of the test results early Saturday.

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Okagbare, 32, won her heat in 11.05sec on Friday.

Okagbare’s suspension is the latest twist in a troubled track and field campaign at the Olympics for Nigeria.

On Thursday, the AIU said 10 Nigerian athletes were among 18 competitors prevented from entering the competition in Tokyo after failing to meet requirements for out-of-competition testing.