Nigeria clinch four world tickets as relay teams shine at Gaborone 2026 -

Team Nigeria ended their 2026 World Relays campaign in Botswana with four tickets secured for major global championships, after strong performances in Sunday’s repechage rounds.

The mixed 4x400m quartet of Samson Nathaniel, Mary Kudoro, Chidi Okezie and Patience Okon-George ran a season’s best 3:12.88 to finish second behind South Africa in 3:12.77. Nigeria and South Africa traded the lead before Okon-George held off Germany to seal a place at the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

The women’s 4x100m team bounced back from baton exchange errors on Saturday. Rosemary Nwankwo, Obi Chukwuka, Maria Thompson-Omokwe and Miracle Ezechukwu clocked a season’s best 42.94s to place second behind France’s 42.92s, booking another ticket to Beijing.

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Nigeria had already secured a mixed 4x100m relay spot with an African record on the opening day. The team also qualified for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest this September after finishing among the top six in the final, won by Jamaica in a world record 39.62s.

It was a mixed day for the men’s squads. The men’s 4x100m team of Favour Ashe, James Emmanuel, Tejiri Godwin and Chidera Ezeakor ran 38.50s but finished third in their heat behind Belgium and Jamaica, missing qualification. The men’s 4x400m team Gafar Badmus, Emmanuel Ojeli, Victor Ime and Ezekiel Asuquo, posted 3:01.43, finishing just behind Spain and Senegal in a photo finish and also falling short.

Nigeria’s women did not start the 4x400m repechage, leaving the country with three tickets for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and one for the Ultimate Championship in Budapest.