INTERVIEW: It’s too late for Nigeria to start preparing for Rio Olympics – Okagbare

With barely 20 days to the Rio Olympics, the competition has been hit by a series of withdrawal with as much as three top golfers in the world backing out owing to the fear of the Zika Virus.

In this interview with a team of journalists that includes PREMIUM TIMES’ Tunde Eludini, Nigeria’s fleet-footed queen of the tracks, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, plays down such threat, and hopes instead for glory in Brazil, having returned empty-handed from the London 2012 Olympics despite being one of the favourites to make it to the podium.

After her latest triumph in the Nigeria Athletics Olympic trials, held in her home town Sapele, Delta State, Okagbare shares her optimism for a good show in Brazil despite the increased opposition she would face at the Summer Olympics.

Congratulations for winning your 7^th 100m national title, what’s it like coming back to Sapele your home town?

I want to thank God. You know the All-Nigeria Championship is very important to me. Even as much as I have won so many times I don’t take it lightly, I don’t joke with it. I actually give it my best even though I never run fast at home and I go out and run fast. Overall I take it seriously. I work very hard to achieve every winning and I am very grateful to God for that. Coming home is a great feeling, it is an honour, I started from here and I am back here to perform in front of the crowd I actually grew up from. So it’s so great.

Looking back to the journey thus far, what’s the feeling like; returning to the place it all started for you?

I was just thinking because when I started I was like very young, skinny and I started in front of a lot of people. I was wearing shorts coming to practice and now this is me and they are still here and they actually have watch me grow to this present stage I am now in. So I think that’s the joy that they have when they cheer me on and I really appreciate it. It gives me so much morale to do well.

What fond memories do you have of Sapele growing up?

You know, when I actually started, we did not have a stadium (Sapele Township Stadium) like this. We used train on the street and terrible grass but the most important thing is still doing very well in front of the people I started with. They have watched me live. It is really a great thing to be here and run in front of them.

What should we expect from you at the Olympics?

As always, I just want to go out to give my all and do my best. This year has been very different for me; I have been taking it easy after my injury last year, back and forth, my health issues. I have been taking it easy. I started practice and I am getting to my peak. I am actually comfortable where I am, I feel confident and everything has been going great, injury free. I have to be extremely cautious while I race but I am ready for Rio hoping something great will come out of it this year.

Which event will you be competing in?

That is the question that I cannot answer for now. I have a team, as much as I go out and compete, I have people who advise me, they believe in me so much but at the end of the day, we make the decisions that are right me, my team and my country. So we will make that decision in another two weeks.

Does running the fastest time by an African in the 200m this year give you extra confidence?

You call it the fastest time but it is not where I really want to be right now. I am working so hard on my 200 and I am working towards the 21 sec mark but I think I am in a shape where I can get into a race and meet that mark. Like I said I am very confident about this year, I am taking it easy not stressing over everything and trying to execute as much as I can.

Your African record of 10.79secs in the 100m was recently broken by Murielle Ahouré, does that put you under pressure?

I am not supposed to feel anything about that. I always aim higher, probably when I break something higher maybe they can compete with that.

If I worry about them, then I don’t have anything I want to achieve. I really want to achieve something at the Games and I’m not worried about the timing anyone runs.

You have been deliberate about your races this year, with less appearances in the Diamond League; why?

Last year, I went through a lot with injuries and all, I started practice really late, so my coach is taking it very easy with me. He has told me to take it easy, saying he is not worried about fast I run but executing every race that I participate in. Like the races here, I wanted something faster but you know, it was not fast but I am glad I executed and ran well.

Seven national titles, how many more do we expect from you?

(Laughing) Who knows, as long as the good Lord keeps me. I have other plans, I am married, I want to start a family but you know I have God behind me and when He says Blessing, it is time to draw the curtain, I will but for now, I want to go as far as I can.

Some Nigerians are worried that your season’s best time of 11.02secs is far behind your contemporaries, what do you have to say to them?

Nigerians should not worry about me; they should be worried about their government not helping athletes. Right now it’s too late to start preparing for the Olympics unless you want to do magic, all the same Blessing Okagbare is focused and ready to do her best.

How much of support do you get from your husband?

He is always cheering me up even when I am not running in front of him he is always there for me and I appreciate that so much.

What time do you think can win 100m in Rio this year?

Looking at the way people are running, maybe 10.6 but then other factors like the weather has to be put into consideration. It is going to be fast, I cannot really say but I think 10.6 thereabout will pick up gold.

Any fears about the Zika virus ravaging Rio ahead of the Olympics?

I am not thinking about that please. That’s a negative thought. We are thinking about Rio and taking it one day at a time.

What does the future holds?

The future holds great things that is all I can say.