Okagbare edges past Asumnu to 4th consecutive All-Nigerian title in Calabar- Nigeria Champs Day 1

Defending champion, Blessing Okagbare, won her fourth successive Nigerian women's 100m title ahead of Delta State's compatriot Gloria Asunmu at the 66th All Nigeria (Olympic Trials)/Cross-Rivers State Athletics Championships in Calabar on Tuesday (19th).

Okagbare, the reigning African 100m champion from Nairobi 2010, needed every inch of her 1.80m tall frame to out-lean a flying Gloria Asunmu on the line to win in 11.12 - 11.13 secs.

Much improved Lawretta Ozor of Delta completed the sweep for the State in 11.19 with 2008 champion Oludamola Osayomi of NSCDC fading to third in 11.38 secs just ahead of young teen Peace Uko of Defender AC finishing fifth in 11.39 secs.

Okagbare said after the race that she hopes to do much better at the London Olympics.

"I am so excited to win this title four times in a row now even though it is not my best performance. I hope to work harder to get something in London. It was a tough race but I thank God I still emerged tops" she said.

In other events Queensley Asedo (Police) won gold in the 20km walk race for Women in a time of 1:49:13 while Queen Henshaw and Kareem Bolanle got silver and bronze respectively.

In the men's category, Adeyemi Kazeem (Police) won Gold while Bamidele Elegbede and Oluwaseyi Lawal settled for silver and bronze medals respectively.

Tokbe Gwete (Borno state) won the men's 10,000m gold medal with a time of 34:09.26 with Bulus John (Bauchi) and Danjuma Kopkuddi (Immigration Service) settling for silver and bronze medals respectively.

Kenechukwu Ezeofor won the men's Shot Put with a throw of 16.53 metres.

Selected Results

100m Women Final

1. Blessing Okagbare, Delta, 11.12
2. Gloria Asumnu, Delta, 11.13
3. Lawretta Ozor, Delta, 11.19
4. Oludamola Osayomi, Delta, 11.38
5. Alphonsus Peace Uko, Delta, 11.39
6. Margaret Benson, Delta, 11.52
7. Agnes Osazuwa, NSCDC, 11.62
8. Deborah Odeyemi, NSCDC, 11.87