Sprinter Blessing, Hours before the former silver medallist from the World Championships was scheduled to compete in the Olympic women’s 100-meter semi-finals on Saturday, Okagbare was given a provisional suspension for doping.
Four days before the Olympics began, Okagbare tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which led to a mandatory provisional suspension.
Only late on Friday, after Okagbare had already competed in the 100-meter heats on the first day of track competition at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, did the anti-doping organization for track and field get the test results, according to the AIU.
Okagbare was disqualified from the 100 meters and her Olympic campaign was probably over when the AIU notified her of her suspension on Saturday morning. According to the statement. She is permitted to ask for a “B” sample, or backup sample, to be examined in order to confirm the results in accordance with doping regulations.
At both the 2013 World Championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Okagbare, 32, took home a silver medal in the long jump.
She also finished third in the 200 meters at the 2013 World Championship in Moscow, trailing only Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the front-runner for the Tokyo 100-meter gold. The 100-200 double was performed by Okagbare during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
