A youthful Team Nigeria, largely made up of home-based athletes, secured two more qualification spots for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, in impressive fashion.
The additional tickets came in the women’s 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relays on the final day of the World Relay Championships held at the National Stadium Gaborone on Sunday.
Nigeria delivered a remarkable performance throughout the 2026 World Relays in Gaborone, as a predominantly local squad rose to the challenge and made a strong statement on the global stage.
Despite the absence of several international stars, the country’s homegrown athletes stepped up, demonstrating resilience, depth, and speed to secure three relay qualifications for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.
The momentum began on the opening day when the mixed 4x100m team of Favour Ashe, Obi Jennifer Chukwuka, Chidera Ezeakor, and Maria Thompson Omokwe delivered a historic performance.
Their time of 40.24 seconds earned them victory and set a new African record, highlighting the increasing strength of Nigeria’s domestic athletics scene.
The achievement marked a significant milestone, securing Nigeria’s first-ever qualification in the event ahead of its debut at the world championships.
The same quartet is also set to represent the country at the upcoming Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where they will compete against top global teams.
On the final day, more home-based athletes continued the strong showing.
Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team, anchored by Chidi Okezie and featuring Nathaniel Ezekiel, Taiwo Mary Kudoro, and Patience Okon George, executed a well-coordinated race.
They recorded a season’s best of 3:12.88, which secured qualification and underscored the team’s chemistry despite limited time together.
The women’s 4x100m squad also demonstrated resilience. After a baton error on the opening day, the team bounced back to post a time of 42.94 seconds, Nigeria’s fastest since the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Teenage sprinter Miracle Ezechukwu anchored the team with an outstanding run, reinforcing her emergence as one of the brightest young talents in the domestic circuit.
Nigeria’s performance in Gaborone stood out not only for the results but also for the composition of the team, especially after a challenging start.
With many established stars unavailable, reliance on locally developed athletes proved effective, as they exceeded expectations and reignited discussions on the value of grassroots development and structured domestic competitions.
Attention now shifts to upcoming opportunities, as Nigeria’s men’s and women’s 4x400m teams, along with the men’s 4x100m squad, remain in contention for qualification when the window reopens later this year.
There is growing anticipation about the potential combination of in-form home-based athletes with established names, with possible line-ups featuring Favour Ashe, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Israel Okon, and Ushoritse Ishekiri in the men’s 4x100m. Emerging 400m talent Samuel Ogazi has also drawn attention after recently breaking a long-standing national record.
