Team Nigeria have booked their place at the 2027 World Athletics Championships in China after reaching the mixed 4x100m relay final at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone.
The quartet of Favour Ashe, Jennifer Chukwuka-Obi, Chidera Ezeakor, and Maria Thompson Omokwe clocked 40.24s on Saturday to secure qualification in a fiercely contested semi-final. The run also delivered a new African record, demonstrating Nigeria’s growing strength in the mixed sprint relay.
Canada dominated the heat with a world record 40.07s, finishing ahead of Germany in 40.15s and the Netherlands in 40.20s, as Nigeria advanced among the fastest qualifiers.
The result provides a timely lift for Nigeria’s relay programme, although the team have endured mixed fortunes across other events in Botswana while chasing more tickets to Beijing.
Several campaigns were disrupted by the absence of key athletes Rosemary Chukwuma, Blessing Ogundiran, and Anita Enaruna, who were unable to travel. Nigeria missed automatic qualification in the women’s 4x100m, women’s 4x400m, and mixed 4x400m events as a result.
There is still hope through last-chance rounds in the men’s 4x100m, men’s 4x400m, and mixed 4x400m. The mixed 4x400m draw proved particularly tough, with Nigeria facing hosts Botswana, South Africa, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany for only two automatic places.
The women’s 4x100m were pushed into the repechage after a baton exchange error earlier in the competition, while the men’s 4x100m remain in contention in a more open heat against Jamaica, Japan, and Belgium where clean exchanges could decide qualification.
Nigeria’s strongest position remains the mixed 4x100m, where attention now shifts from qualification to a medal chase against the world’s leading sprint nations.
Nigeria will aim to build on their record-breaking momentum with Jamaica, the United States, Canada, Germany, Spain and Great Britain, and Northern Ireland in the final line-up.
