They call her Blessing and her determination to bless Nigeria with athletics garlands is not in doubt.

This evening in Moscow, Russia, Blessing Okagbare lived up to expectations when she ended the country’s long wait for a medal at the World Athletics Championships, bravely leaping 6.99 metres to snatch the silver medal. Blessing’s leap was only 0.02cm behind that of gold medallist Brittney Reese of the United States.

Nigeria last won a medal at the championships at Seville ’99 (Spain) where Gloria Alozie bagged a sliver medal in the 100m hurdles and Francis Obikwelu grabbed bronze over in the men’s 100m.

With the silver in her kitty, all eyes are now on Okagbare to harvest another medal in her specialty – the 100m – in which she is a favourite for the gold medal.