Nigeria’s mixed relay and men’s 4x400m quartets have clinched automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Championships.
The mixed relay team featuring Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie and Elo Esther Joseph achieved the feat by coming second with a time of 3.13.79 seconds in their qualifying heats at the World Relays ongoing in Bahamas.
The USA was first in the heat with a championship record of 3.11.52secs. South Africa were third with 13.15.95 seconds.
The Nigeria team, with the third fastest time in the heats will now aim to be on the podium in the final billed for Sunday.
Later in the evening the men’s 4x400m featuring Dubem Nwachukwu, Dubem Anene, Sikiru Adeyemi and Chidi Okezie ran a seasons best of 3.01.70secs to place second behind Belgium with a time of 3.00.09 in their heats. It is the first time in many years the Nigerian men 4x400m would be qualifying for the Olympics. Since winning bronze at the 1984 Games, gold in 2000 and bronze in 2004, Nigeria failed to make impact at the Olympics.
The women’s 4x400m did not make a showing in Bahamas as the team was incomplete.
In the women’s 4x100m contest,
Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Yinka Olajide and Tima Godbless narrowly missed qualification for the final and also the Olympics ticket after finishing 43.15secs and placing third in their heat. A far cry performance from their personal best of 42.22secs. An imperfect exchange between Olayinka and Godbless slowed down the pace of team. They had little time to perfect their exchange. But Godbless put up a spirited fight, but fell short of overwhelming Mallory Laconte of France, they finished at 43.09, while the USA took the race at 42.42 seconds
The men’s 4x100m also did not click. Udodi Uwazurike, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola and Seye Ogunlewe placed fourth in their heats after posting 38.47 secs well bellow their personal best of 37.94secs.
