Nigeria secured 2024 Olympic participation in the men’s 4X400m and mixed 4X400m relays after posting stellar performances at the ongoing World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.
The men’s quartet of Dubem Nwachukwu, Dubem Amene, Sikiru Adeyemi and Chidi Okezie clocked a time of 3:01.70 to pick the slot.
Drawn against sprint and relay powerhouses, Jamaica and Belgium, Nigeria needed a top 2 finish to qualify for the Olympics.
The well-put-together team set off with Dubem Nwachukwu on lead-off leg where he came in 2nd and handed over to Dubem Amene.
After breaking on the second leg, Amene put up a masterful race, leaving no openings before handing over to Sikiru Adewale who ran his heart out to maintain the pace.
By the time Okezie got the baton for the anchor leg, Nigeria was in 3rd and just in danger of having the automatic Olympic qualifier slip away.
The African Games 400m gold medalist bided his time, waited patiently behind Jamaican anchor, Demish Gaye before pouncing as they hit the home straight.
He sprinted ahead of the Jamaican to bring the country home in 2nd place, splitting an incredible 44.46s – his second 44s split of the night!
The time of 3:01.70 makes it the fastest by a Nigerian male 4x400m team since the Bronze-winning team of James Godday, Musa Audu, Saul Weigopwa and Enefiok Udo-Obong who ran 3:00.90 at the Athens 2024 Olympics.
In the mixed 4X400m event, the quartet of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie and Esther Elo Joseph ensured Nigeria is guaranteed a place at the Olympics.
They finished 2nd in their heat with a time of 3:13.79 behind Team USA who won in a Championship Record of 3:11.52.
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 with 43.15secs to place third in their heat.
An imperfect exchange of baton between Olayinka and Godbless slowed down the pace of team.
Godbless put up a spirited fight but fell short of overwhelming Mallory Laconte of France that clocked 43.09, while the USA took the race with 42.42 seconds.
In the same vein, the Nigeria men’s 4x100m also fell short of expectations.
Udodi Uwazurike, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola and Seye Ogunlewe placed fourth in their heat after posting 38.47 secs well bellow their personal best of 37.94secs.
Meanwhile, the first eight teams to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in each the five disciplines being contested at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 have been confirmed following the opening day of competition in Nassau.
Fourteen teams in the women and men’s 4x100m and 4x400m plus the mixed 4x400m in Nassau this weekend (May 4-5) automatically qualify for places at the Paris Olympics.
On Saturday, the top two teams in each of the four heats per event secured spots for their respective World Relays finals on Sunday, while also booking their places for Paris.
Three nations – France, Great Britain & Northern Ireland and USA – each qualified four teams for Paris, while another three – Canada, Italy and Poland – qualified three each.
Teams will compete for prize money and Olympic lane seeding positions in Sunday’s finals.
All other teams will race in the additional round where the top two teams in each of the three heats will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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).