Four Nigerian Relay Team Book Olympic Spot At The 2024 World Relays

 

The 2024 World Athletics Relays in Bahamas for the first time since inception, served as Olympic qualifiers for all five official relays at the Olympic Games, which will this year be staged in the city of Paris. 

Nigeria presented four relay teams, and all four teams qualified for the Games, making it the first time in since Athens 2004 that the country would have four relay teams at the quadrennial event.

On the first day, Nigeria kicked off their campaign in exciting fashion as they punched the Olympic ticket in the mixed 4x400m relay. The quartet of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie, and Esther Elo Joseph competed in the second heat, which included reigning World Champions – USA, Bahrain, and South Africa.

They finished 2nd in a time of 3:13.79 behind USA, and would go on to place 4th in the final in an African Record of 3:12.87. The men’s 4x400m quartet of Dubem Nwachukwu, Dubem Amene, Sikiru Adeyemi and Chidi Okezie put up an absolutely stellar performance, clocking a time of 3:01.70, the team’s fastest time in 20 years, to secure qualification for the Olympics.

On the other hand, the Nigerian women’s 4x100m quartet of Justina Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Olayinka Olajide and Tima Godbless showed impressive team chemistry, storming to victory in their heat in a time of 42.71s to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The men ran in the immediate next race and powered through in 38.57s to finish 2nd in their heat behind Ghana, securing Nigeria’s first men’s 4x100m Olympic ticket in 16 years.

Udodi Onwuzurike, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola, Seye Ogunlewe and Karlington Anunagba all played vital roles in bringing the team to qualification in the Bahamas.

Following the qualification of 14 teams per event in Nassau, the remaining two places for Paris in each discipline will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (31 December 2022 to 30 June 2024).

The only Nigerian team that didn’t feature at the World Relays was the women’s 4x400m – an event where Nigeria has always had a strong foothold.

They are currently 2nd based on the top lists, just behind nations who have secured automatic qualification, and will now hope to hang on to one of the two spots left within the Olympic qualification period.