: Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare was provisionally suspended for doping on Saturday, hours before the former world championships Silver medalist was due to run in the semifinals of the women’s 100 meters at the Olympics.
Okagbare tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test on July 19, four days before the Olympics opened, the Athletics Integrity Unit said, prompting a mandatory provisional suspension. The results of that test were only received by track and field’s anti-doping body late on Friday and after Okagbare had already run in the 100 heats on the opening day of track competition at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, the AIU said.
She won her heat in 11.05 seconds and was due to run in the semifinals on Saturday.