By: Gracious Akujobi
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The Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick, has expressed optimism that current African record holder in 100m Blessing Okagbare will do well at the World Athletics championship which begins in Moscow on Saturday.
Speaking on a live television programme monitored by our correspondent, the Delta State Sports Commission boss says Okagbare has gotten over her poor outing at the last Olympics and she is looking forward to doing well at the championship.
He said Delta state has played a key role in getting the athlete to the level she is right now.
“Delta State has been very pivotal to Blessings rejuvenation since aftermath of her performance at the last Olympics”
“She was really devastated and in a bid to motivate her, our governor upgraded her training grant and bonuses and she has promised not to fail the governor nor the good people of Nigeria”
Pinnick said the disappointment of Okagbare not winning any medal the last Olympics really devastated everyone but he is however optimistic that with the amount of work put into her training programme, rewarding Nigerians with medals would be the only consolation.
“She has entered for three races and I believe she will make it. I am very optimistic that she will do well at this IAAF championship”
The Delt sports administrator, says it does not matter who is at the helm of affair at the Sports Commission, saying the state will continue to do well in sports because the state has adopted the Chinese module to sports development which is having a holistic approach to sports development.
Blessing Okagbare is the new 100m record holder in Africa having defeated reigning 100m Olympics gold medalist Shelly-Ann Frasier Pryce to set the record with of 10.79s.
The IAAF championship will run from August 10-18, 2013.
