IAAF Diamond League: Okagbare returns for action

After missing out in the second leg of the IAAF Diamond League held in Shanghai, China; Nigeria’s queen of the tracks, Blessing Okagbare, is back to rub shoulders with the world’s best in the money-spinning event.

Okagbare will be featuring in the Women’s Long Jump event where she is listed to compete alongside top names like Ugen Lorraine and the American duo of Bartoletta Tianna and Reese Brittney-who undoubtedly is the firm favourite for the top finish.

Known as the Prefontaine Classic, it is the third leg of the 2017 Diamond League series and, as ever, is loaded with a host of the world’s top athletes.

The legendary Briton, Mo Farah, who is set to retire from track events in August after the World Championships in London, runs in a very strong 10,000m field.

Fellow Brit, Laura Muir, has been in sensational form over the last year and is looking to take a step towards defending the Diamond League 1,500m crown she won so impressively in 2016.

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, who won an incredible sprint double at the Rio Olympics last year, runs in the 200m against reigning world champion Dafne Schippers and six-time Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix.

It is saddening that Nigerian male athletes have continually failed to show enough promise to be considered to take a shot at glory at the Diamond League.

Aside London-based triple jumper, Tosin Oke, who has been able to get a handful of appearances in the IAAF Diamond League Meetings in recent times, Nigerian male athletes are gradually being considered not good enough at the flagship event.