Archive | July, 2014

Okagbare slips in Lausanne 100m, but returns for the Paris Diamond League 200m tomorrow!

4 Jul

Blessing Okagbare’s much awaited return to Diamond League action in Lausanne last night proved to be an anti-climax, as she stumbled out of her blocks and opted not to finish the race, as it was clear that she had lost it in the first few strides. Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye, who is quickly emerging as Blessing’s main rival for the 100m Commonwealth GOLD, took full advantage and raced to victory in 10.98 seconds, with Cote d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahouré second in a photo finish with the same time! Following the the late withdrawals of Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown and USA’s Tori Bowie from the race, the path had seemed clear for an Okagbare victory, but her slip put paid to those hopes, though after her trip she would have been more concerned with staying injury-free rather than finishing the race – and rightly so!

The biggest story of the night was undoubtedly the men’s 100 metres, which saw the return of Tyson Gay from his well-publicised 1 year drug ban, a punishment that many in the Athletics world have felt was too lenient. Tyson Gay ran 9.93s on his return, placing second in an American 1-2-3, with Justin  Gatlin winning with a new world leading (WL) time this season of 9.80s and Mike Rodgers third in 9.98s – ALL THREE of them have served drug bans at some stage of their careers! Kirani James and LeShawn Merritt continued their intriguing 400m rivalry, with James coming out on top this time in 43.74s (a new WL, PB and National Record for Grenada!), with Merritt 2nd in an Season’s Best (SB) of 43.92s. Jamaica’s Yohan Blake finished  a disappointing 6th in the 200m in 20.48s, with Panama’s Alonso Edward winning in 19.84s (SB), while Qatar’s Nigerian-born Femi Ogunode was 5th in 20.25s.

Thankfully, Okagbare fans will not have to wait long to see her in action again, as she will appear in the 200 metres at the Paris Diamond League tomorrow (Saturday July 5th)! Once again, it is a loaded field and Blessing will to be on the very top of her game to best the likes of USA’s Multiple World and Olympic 200m Champion, Alyson Felix and Jamaica’s Current 200m World Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, though the latter has struggled for form this season. Tori Bowie is also on the start-list in Paris, and she will certainly be a threat to Okagbare’s hopes of winning this – one might recall that in her very first Diamond League 200m race after switching events from the Long Jump, Bowie shocked Okagbare and the rest of the field from Lane 1 in Eugene!

In other events holding at the ‘Meeting Areva’ in the Stade de France tomorrow, Okagbare has again opted not to participate in the long jump event that will see the likes of reigning Olympic and World champion, Brittney Reese, Tianna Bartoletta and Funmi Jimoh (all of USA). Former 400m World champion, Amantle Montsho, is still trying to find her best form this season (SB 50.37s) and will race in the keenly contested women’s 400m, alongside USA’s Olympic Champion Sanya Richards-Ross, who has run sub-50 this season (SB 49.66s), as well as Jamaica’s Novlene Williams-Mills, who has posted an impressive time of 50.05s this season.

There is an interesting inclusion in the men’s 100m as a British athlete with Nigerian roots, Chijindu Ujah, is set to make his Diamond League debut. The 100m Champion at the 2013 European Junior Championships recently broke the 10 second barrier with a time of 9.96sec in Hengelo, Holland last month, making him the third fastest Brit in history! He will go against the world’s fastest man this season, Richard Thompson (9.82s) from Trinidad and Tobago, and the likes of veteran former World Champion Kim Collins and the Jamaican trio of Nickel Ashmaede, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nesta Carter!

For Nigerian viewers, SuperSport 6 (DSTV Channel 206) will show the Meeting Areva (Paris Diamond League) LIVE from 7-9pm on Saturday July 5th. Blessing Okagbare goes in the women’s 200 metres at 7.42pm – Don’t miss it!

 

2014 IAAF Diamond League calendar

Doha, QAT – 9 May

Shanghai, CHN – 18 May

Eugene, USA – 31 May

Rome, ITA – 5 Jun

Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun

New York, USA – 14 Jun

Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul

Paris, FRA – 5 Jul

Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul

Monaco, MON – 18 Jul

Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug

Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug

Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug

Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep

 

 

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Athlete Interview: MONZAVOUS EDWARDS – 2nd place in 100m at Nigerian Trials, formerly of Team USA!!!

3 Jul

33 year-old Monzavous Edwards speaks exclusively to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS after finishing 2nd in the 100 metres (in 10.39s into -2.3 m/s headwind) at the 2014 Nigerian Trials

Monzavous, how are you feeling about your performance?

I’ll take it. I know it’s not my best, but you can never complain when the main focus was to make it to the Commonwealth. I finished in the Top 3, so the main objective was completed. I’m not satisfied, nor happy with my result, but like I said, I’ll take it.

These Trials and the Warri Relays last week – is it your first times competing for Team Nigeria? 

Yes

Can you tell us about your journey from competing for USA to Nigeria – what made you decide to make the switch?

It was an appreciation for the sport, and more of an appreciation of me as an athlete and a sprinter. In America there’s so much competition that it is hard to be appreciated for all the hard work that you put in. And having the chance to get with my family and switch to Nigeria. Since I’ve made that switch, I’ve felt more than appreciated as a professional athlete. So that was the main reason for it.

You mentioned your family just now. Can you tell us a bit about that – what are your connections to Nigeria, in terms of your heritage?

It’s from my grandparents. Actually, it’s from my great-great-grandparents, if I said that right. Let me see…1, 2 (counts on his fingers)…yeah I said it right. 

So what’s your PB in the 100 metres?

9.95 seconds

Wow, that’s impressive. When did you do that?

In 2010.

What are your hopes for the Commonwealth Games, and competing for Team Nigeria generally – do you think you can take your PB lower? 

Actually, I know I can because for the last 2 years I have dealt with injuries so it’s been a climb to get back. I know where my training is at, and I know where I am at. I’ve only been here a week, and it usually takes my body up to 10 days to get acclimated, so I know that I am sub-10 ready. For the Commonwealth Games I am looking to make sure that I win, with something around the 9.8 range, because I will have time to get there and get used to it. Athletes are different and bodies are different. Some athletes can get acclimated quicker, some take longer. I’ve been doing this sport for some years now and it takes me about 10 days. 

You better get to Glasgow quickly then?

Yeah I already told them, I need to be in Glasgow like 2 weeks before!

Is this your first time in Nigeria? What has the experience been like so far?

Yes. So far I have loved. I have to be honest with you, I have loved every bit of it. The weather is a bit hot, but other than that it’s been wonderful

Final question for you. Best to get this out of the way now because you will get it later on down the line – can you tell us about the gold teeth?

Well, I had an accident back in 2013 – I actually have a metal plate in my chin, and I lost some teeth in the accident, so I had my mouth wired shut for 3 months, so that’s actually how I got the gold teeth. 

Was it a car accident?

No actually I fainted – I had a mild seizure and when I fell, I fell on my face. So this is a metal plate – I lost all these teeth at the top, and the ones at the bottom don’t work as the nerves are dead. 

Wow, so there’s a good reason for it.

Oh yeah, yeah. It’s not for fashion! Definitely not for fashion! 

Monzavous 'Jolomi' Edwards, recently switched allegiances from Team USA, and placed second in the 100 metres at the 2014 Nigerian Trials

Monzavous ‘Jolomi’ Edwards, recently switched allegiances from Team USA, and placed second in the 100 metres at the 2014 Nigerian Trials

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Blessing Okagbare returns to Diamond League action in Lausanne while Tyson Gay returns after 1 year drug suspension!!

2 Jul

Having stamped her mark as the athlete to beat in the sprints on the home front, Africa’s record holder over 100m, Blessing Okagbare will take on the world’s best as she competes first in the 100m at the Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 3, and then the 200m in Paris, France two days later, after missing the last few Diamond League events

Blessing is the only Nigerian interest in both meets and whilst athletics fans may be wondering how she hopes to successfully dominate in both sprints on the world stage, the 25-year old has made no secret of the fact that she is concentrating on the sprints this season. Two weeks ago, she won the 100m for the sixth consecutive time at the national trials in Calabar, where she returned a time of 11.06s, and then won the 200m in 22.62s, while opting out of the long jump, which happens to be the event that brought her into limelight, having won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as an 18-year old. She has already stated that she may not compete in the jumps at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, though she had been tipped to win easily since her fiercest rival, USA’s Brittney Reese would not be competing in the games.

A total of 17 Olympic and world champions will be part of the line-up for the 39th edition of the IAAF Diamond League in Lausanne. The Women’s 100m field at the Athlessima Lausanne on Thursday will be a tight one, following the return of Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown, who was recently cleared of doping charges by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after failing a drug test in May 2013. Campbell-Brown has a Personal Best of 10.76s, a Season’s best of 10.86s and clocked 10.96s to win the Jamaican trials over the weekend.

Murielle Ahouré, Cote d’Ivoire’s 100m World Silver Medallist, is also on the start-list, as is USA’s Tori Bowie Torie who will not be resting on her oars, the long umper come sprinter having won three straight Diamond League races (200m in Eugene, 100m in Rome and New York). Campbell-Brown, Bowie and Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye have all done sub-11s this season, so Blessing will have her work cut out for her to win this race and will likely need go under 11 seconds  for the first time this season to claim the victory!  Even USA’s English Gardner, Okagbare’s training partner who beat her in the World Championship 100m finals last year, has also run faster than Blessing this year, in 11.01s!

Nigerian-born Qatari sprinter, Femi Ogunode will also be in action at the Pontaise Stadium in Lausanne, where he will compete in the 200m against the likes of Jamaica’s Olympic Silver Medallist over the distance, Yohan Blake, who returns to the track where he set his 100m PB of 9.69s in 2011. Ogunode has one of the fastest Season’s Bests (20.06s) amongst the pack, as only Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade (19.95s) and Alonso Edward of Panama (19.81s) have run faster this year.Other notable athletes featuring in the race are former European Champion, Christophe Lemaitre of France, and Gambian-born Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway.

Last but certainly not least, the men’s 100m promises to be an explosive event as American sprinter, Tyson Gay makes a controversially early return after completing a 12-month backdated suspension for testing positive for an anabolic steroid – a punishment that many in the Athletics world viewed as far too lenient for the crime. The former World Champion who has a lifetime best of 9.69s will face a stiff challenge from his compatriot, Justin Gatlin, the second fastest man this season with a time of 9.86s. Two other Americans, Micheal Rodgers and Ryan Bailey, 38-year old former World Champion, Kim Collins, and Jamaica’s Kemar Bailey-Cole also feature in the race – it will be interesting to see the reaction from fans and athletes alike if Tyson Gay wins in a very fast time!

For Nigerian viewers, SuperSport 9 (DSTV Channel 209) will show the Lausanne Diamond League meet LIVE from 7 – 9pm Nigerian time on Thursday (July 3). Blessing Okagbare goes in the women’s 100 metres at 7.28pm – Don’t miss it! 

 

2014 IAAF Diamond League calendar

Doha, QAT – 9 May

Shanghai, CHN – 18 May

Eugene, USA – 31 May

Rome, ITA – 5 Jun

Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun

New York, USA – 14 Jun

Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul

Paris, FRA – 5 Jul

Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul

Monaco, MON – 18 Jul

Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug

Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug

Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug

Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep

 

Athlete Interview: TYRON AKINS – Nigeria’s 110m Hurdles Champion, formerly of Team USA!!!

2 Jul

28 year-old Tyron Akins, winner of the 100m Hurdles at the 2014 Nigerian Trials (in a time of 13.66 seconds) speaks exclusively to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS on his decision to switch from Team USA to Team Nigeria, and on his family links to Nigeria! 

Tyron, how are you feeling about your win here at the Nigerian Trials?

I’m feel pretty good, we had a little delay just before with the women’s hurdles, where something went wrong with the timing system, but I was able to re-focus on the task at hand which was trying to win the race.

Now you were also at the Warri Relays last week – how did you do over there?

Well I felt really good about the Warri Relays but unfortunately I hit hurdles 5 and 6 and that pretty much put me out of the race. Being a hurdler those types of things happen, so I was put out of the race by that – I came fourth though.

So is this your first time competing in Nigeria, and for Nigeria?

Yes it is.

Could you tell us about how you came to switch from the US to represent Nigeria?

Well, it was an opportunity that arose for me, so I was like yeah, I would like to do that. I have always followed Nigeria Track & Field as well, being that I am good friends with Blessing (Okagbare), so I’ve always kept up with what was happening over here. So when the opportunity arose for me to do it, I was able to take advantage of it. So I’m here now!

Do you have any family or heritage from Nigeria?

I do, I do. Uhm…somewhere down the line but it’s there!

A lot of Nigerians will be wondering – how does it work? Don’t you have to have some kind of close parentage or family links in Nigeria to make the switch?

You’ve got to have some sort of proof that you have that family. At least that’s my understanding, and I was lucky enough to go down the family tree to find that.

So how far down the family tree does it go?

I don’t know exactly, but I think it was pretty deep!

So what is your Personal Best in the 100m Hurdles and when did you do it?

My PB is 13.25 seconds, and I did that in 2008. So it’s been a while, but from 2009 to 2012, I was consistently in the 13.30’s, and I had an off year in 2013, so I’m trying to get back to form now, and everything is falling into place it should be.

Now that you’re getting started with your Nigeria career, what are your hopes for the future, starting with the Commonwealth Games?

The goal is to medal, to consistently get on the podium. I think, whenever you represent any country, you want to consistently be on the podium, or in contention for the podium. So everything I am doing is to try to medal at every Championships – Commonwealth, African Championships, All-Africa Games next year, then the World Championships, the Olympics and all of that. So those are my goals for now.

Have you competed before (for Team USA) at a World Championships or an Olympics?

No I have not.

So that’s something to look forward to?

Absolutely, and I can’t wait!

How fast are you on the flat (100 metres)? You know that our guys need some help in that department…

Well, it’s a mix, because on record they’ve got me at 10.78s into a 2.0 m/s headwind, but I think my best was 10.49s

So you think you might try out the flat at some point?

No, can’t do it! Can’t do it!

Ok, congratulations again, and thank you for your time!

Thank you

Tyron 'Toritseju' Akins, 2014 Nigerian 110m Hurdles Champion, recently switched allegiances from Team USA

Tyron ‘Toritseju’ Akins, 2014 Nigerian 110m Hurdles Champion,
recently switched allegiances from Team USA

 

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Athlete Interview: NICHOLE DENBY – Nigeria’s 100m Hurdles Champion, formerly of Team USA!!!

1 Jul

31 year-old Nichole Denby, winner of the 100m Hurdles at the 2014 Nigerian Trials (in 13.29 seconds) speaks exclusively to MAKING OF CHAMPIONS on her decision to switch from Team USA to Team Nigeria, and on her family links to Nigeria! 

Nichole, how are you feeling about your win?

I feel great. All the girls were really great today. The weather’s great out here, the track is great, so my goal from here on out in my career is to just go for the wins. Don’t think about times or anything else – the wins are what I am going for every time I step on the track. I’m very happy for the opportunity to make the Commonwealth Games with the other girls. I’ve never run at the Commonwealth Games so I’m really excited to do that. I’m really really happy.

I believe this is your second meet in Nigeria, after attending the Warri Relays last week. Can you tell us about the path that led you to competing for Nigeria for the first time?

Well, I’m hoping to come away with a medal at the Commonwealth Games, and hoping to do really well at the African Championships as well, to make the team to the Intercontinental World Cup. That will also be my first time competing there, so I’m getting all these great opportunities and I’m going to take advantage of them. Hopefully, we can put Nigeria on top in the 100m Hurdles once again.

The question we were getting at, and what a lot of Nigerians will be wanting to know, is how you made the decision to switch from the US to Nigeria?

Well I have some family down the line from Nigeria, and I’ve made a lot of USA teams as well to World Championships and Olympics, but it is such a great honour to compete for an African country where my roots come from, and there is no greater honour for me than to do that. The USA is saturated with athletes, they have so many different people, so they really don’t need anyone else. For a country like this in Africa, there is no great honour for me to represent a country like this in Africa, it really is (an honour).

Do you know how far down your family line your connection to Nigeria comes from? Is it from your grandparents or further down?

It’s on my mother’s side. I don’t even know them, I never met them, I have just seen pictures of them and stuff so yeah, my great-grandfather was actually from Nigeria. 

So do you have a Nigerian passport now?

Yes, I’ve had it for a while now!

So what are your hopes for the Commonwealth Games and the rest of your career?

I’m hoping to come away with a medal. Obviously the GOLD medal would be great, but any medal would be great for me at the Commonwealth Games. Like I said, to win at the African Championships and go ahead and medal at the Continental World Cup, and just stay a Champion for the rest of my career! I’m hoping to go until after the next Olympics, till the World Championships in 2017 and we’ll see how it goes from there. 

What’s your PB in the 100m Hurdles?

12.54 seconds

That’s pretty fast. And how fast are you on the flat? Any chance you could help our 4x100m girls win some medals?

I was on the 4x100m team at the Warri Relays last week, and we won. But I’m not a pure sprinter, and we have lots of great sprinters here in Nigeria, so I’m going to give that job to the real sprinters, and I’m going to stick to my job over here!

Great! So we’ll look out for you in the 100m Hurdles at the Commonwealth Games and the African Championships. Congratulations on the win today.

Thank you!

 

Nichole Denby, 2014 Nigerian 100m Hurdles Champion, recently switched allegiances from USA.

Nichole Denby, 2014 Nigerian 100m Hurdles Champion, recently switched allegiances from USA.

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