Team Nigeria endured a rollercoaster outing on Sunday at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, sealing two additional qualifications for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing despite costly baton errors in other events.
The standout performance of the day came in the mixed 4x400m relay, where the quartet of Samson Nathaniel, Taiwo Kudoro, Chidi Okezie, and Patience Okon-George delivered a Season’s Best of 3:12.88 to finish second in their heat.
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Their strong run secured Nigeria a place at the 2027 global championships, underlining the country’s growing depth in the one-lap relay.
Nigeria also found redemption in the women’s 4x100m event.
After a disappointing baton mishap in their earlier heat, the team of Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka-Obi, Maria Omokwe Thompson, and Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu bounced back impressively in the repechage round.
They clocked 42.94 seconds to finish second, narrowly behind France (42.93s), but did enough to clinch qualification—Nigeria’s third of the competition.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the Nigerian contingent.
The men’s 4x100m relay team saw their hopes dashed in dramatic fashion after a baton drop ended their qualification bid at a crucial stage.
The mishap overshadowed what had been a promising buildup and denied the team a potential fourth ticket to Beijing.
Earlier, the same men’s quartet of Favour Ashe, James Taiwo Emmanuel, Tejiri Godwin, and Chidera Ezeakor had posted a Season’s Best of 38.31 seconds, finishing fifth in their heat. South Africa won the race in 37.68 seconds, while Ghana edged Nigeria for fourth place in 38.19 seconds.
The women’s 4x100m team also experienced heartbreak in their initial outing, failing to finish their heat after a botched final exchange.
The error highlighted the fine margins in relay racing, where precision often matters as much as speed.
Despite the setbacks, Nigeria leaves Gaborone with three qualifications from six events—a respectable return that reflects both promise and areas for improvement. With lessons learned and momentum building,
Team Nigeria will now look ahead to refining their exchanges and strengthening their squads as they prepare for the road to Beijing 2027.
