Team Nigeria went to the World Relays as the underdogs but stunned the world with four worthy Paris Olympic tickets. A huge milestone and one to make the track world take notice.
Team Nigeria produced one of the surprising performances at the World Relays in the Bahamas, punching four out of five Olympic tickets to send a global statement ahead of Paris.
The formidable squads were a perfect blend of youth and experience, and they overcame the underdog status with brilliant performances that ensured Nigeria left the paradise country as one of the most improved relay countries in the world.
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06:36 - 05.05.2024
World Relays Day 1 Recap: Okezie's heroics fires Nigeria's 4x400m squads to Olympic qualifications as 4x100m teams fall short
Review of Team Nigeria on Day 1 of the World Relays in the Bahamas, led by an inspiring Chidi Okezie.
Led by the heroics of Chidi Okezie and Favour Ofili, the various teams qualified in all their events, and the only one missing was in the women's 4x400m, where they had a Did Not Start (DNS) due to unforeseen circumstances.
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18:22 - 05.05.2024
Letsile Tebogo shows respect to Rhasidat Adeleke's super talent after Paris Olympic qualifying heroics at World Relays
Track stars Letsile Tebogo and Rhasidat Adeleke acknowledged each others greatness after they helped their countries qualify for the Paris Olympic Games.
Here's a recap of how the teams performed at the World Relays in the Bahamas.
Women's 4x100m
In the absence of well-known sprinters Rosemary Chukwuma and Tobi Amusan, Ofili rose to the occasion, proving why she's currently the fastest female athlete in the country and the most experienced in the team.
The squad comprising Tianna Eyakpobeyan, Ofili, Olajide Olayinka, and Tima Godbless could have gained an automatic qualification in the heats but succumbed to the better performances of USA (42.21s) and France (43.09s) as they finished third position in 43.15s.
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With a chance at redemption in the repechage on Day 2, the same quartet maximized the opportunity as they won their heat in a new Season's Best (SB) of 42.71s to secure their spot in Paris.
Ofili led the team to victory with an outstanding second-leg fastest split time of 10.02s, which was enough for Olajide to build on, and Godbless held on to the finish line ahead of Switzerland.
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03:15 - 06.05.2024
World Relays: Tears of joy for Team Nigeria as the men's and women's 4x100m relay squads punch Paris Olympic tickets
Team Nigeria added two more Paris Olympic qualifications in the men and 4x100m events at the World Relays in Bahamas.
Men's 4X100m
With unarguably one of the world's most talented relay pools, Nigeria has at least two teams that can always line up to fight in any relay race.
The squad of Udodi Onwuzurike, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola, Seye Ogunlewe, and Karlington Anunagba rose to the occasion despite missing some vital runners.
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04:30 - 06.05.2024
AFRICA TO THE OLYMPICS: Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia in wild celebrations after punching 4x100m tickets to Paris
Watch the surreal moment West African athletes united in celebration at the World Relays after qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games.
In the automatic qualifying round anchored by Ogunlewe, they finished fifth in 38.49s. Notwithstanding, like their female counterparts, they maximized the repechage opportunity by using Karlington Anunagba as the anchor leg runner, who led them to Olympic qualification in 38.57s behind Ghana.
Mixed 4x400m
Inspired by the relentless spirit of Okezie, the mixed relay team of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Okezie, and Esther Joseph punched an automatic ticket in the first qualifying round with a second-place finish in 3:13.79.
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In the final, they finished as Nigeria's highest-placed squad in a blistering African Record (AR) of 3:12.87 to finish fourth and were rewarded with a mouth-watering cash prize of $8000 as the USA won with a new Championship Record of 3:10.73.
By doing this, they lowered the previous AR of 3:13.26 clocked by a different quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Patience George, Sikiru Adeyemi, and Omolara Ogunmakinju, set to win the African Games title in Ghana earlier this year.
Men's 4x400m
Not many expectations were put on this team heading to the Bahamas, but they stunned the world as worthy Paris ticket holders.
African Games 400m champion Okezie led an iconic charge as the squad of Dubem Nwachukwu, Dubem Amene, and Sikiru Adewale ran the race of their lives to finish second in their qualifying round in a Season's Best (SB) of 3:01.70 - Nigeria's fastest time in twenty years.
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Securing their spot in Paris meant Nigeria would return to the Olympics in the event for the first time since Athens 2004, where the team anchored by Enefiong Udo-Obong won a bronze medal.
With the relay teams confirmed to slug it out against the world's best in Paris, the sole responsibility now lies on the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to organise high-class camping and preparation so as to vitally prepare them for the opportunity of medalling in Paris.
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