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Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, has said she owes nobody any explanation over her poor performance at Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championship.
Okagbare, who was Nigeria’s medal hope in the championship, said this following her poor performance in the 100m race and failure to show up for the 200m event on Wednesday.
Her decision to suddenly stay away from the 200m race did not go down well with some Nigerians back home, especially when the athlete had earlier showed up at the warm up area.
However, an analysis by a Nigerian newspaper on her non appearance in the 200m race, is not going down well with the athlete who fired back on Thursday.
“As for the snakes blowing the trumpet and wishing I have tested positive on drugs, keep wishing on your own downfall because I am so more than what, a foolish journalist, critics, haters and those who call me Warri instead of Nigeria when I don’t win is made of,” an angry Okagbare said on her facebook account.
She continues: “I am self motivated, confident and work hard, which I am extremely proud of and, I owe no one an explanation win or lose. Not everyone, who open their mouth (sic) to talk or write with a pen in the name of journalism, have their sanity intact and they know themselves,” Okagbare added.
However, Okagbare’s outburst is generating mixed reactions back home, especially within the media circle. While some say Okagbare’s attack on journalists was uncalled for considering what the Nigerian media had done for her, some simply called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to call her to order.
“What Okagbare posted on her facebook wall today is very bad and harsh on journalists,” one journalist protested. “Somebody should caution her. She is not the first superstar athlete in Nigeria. Mary Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya, Endurance Ojokolo, Mercy Nku and others rose to the top and never abused anyone. Enough is enough,” the journalist stated.
The President of AFN, Solomon Ogba told The Guardian on phone from Beijing yesterday that they decided to pull Okagbare out from the 200m race in the interest of Nigeria.