Team Nigeria ensured four of its relay teams will be on the plane to this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris after the men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams secured automatic qualification on Sunday.
The country’s 4x400m men’s and mixed relay teams got their tickets to the Games earlier on Saturday, with the 4x100m teams having to wait a day after in the repechage races.
The quartet of Justina Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Olayinka Olajide and Tima Godbless won their heat at the World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, in a season’s best time of 42.71s to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Switzerland finished second in 42.75s, while China came third in 43.13s.
🚨🚨OLYMPIC TICKET NUMBER 3!!🚨🚨
🗣️🗣️The Nigerian women’s 4x100m team are going to Paris!!!!!!✈️✈️
Justina Eyakpobeyan ➡️ Favour Ofili ➡️Olayinka Olajide➡️Tima Godbless got the job done, winning their 4x100m heat in a Season’s Best of 42.71s to punch an automatic ticket to… pic.twitter.com/HCCbsfaxkP
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) May 6, 2024
In the men’s 4x100m category, Udodi Onwuzuruike, Consider Ekanem, Alaba Akintola and Karlington Anunagba finished second in 38.75s to seal an automatic berth to the Games.
The team finished behind West African rivals Ghana, who ran a season’s best time of 38.29s to win the heat and also get a ticket to Paris. Dominican Republic finished third in 39.16s.
Ghana and Nigeria set aside their rivalry for a moment, jointly securing qualifications in the men’s 4x100m for #Paris2024 Olympics.
Team Ghana ran a Season’s Best of 38.29s to win heat 2 of the men’s 4x100m Olympic qualification round 2, with the Nigerian quartet of: Udodi… pic.twitter.com/j6uFlxs1hj
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) May 6, 2024
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 4x400m mixed really team, whose participation at the Games was already confirmed on Saturday, ran the fastest time ever by an African nation, clocking a National Record of 3:12.87 and breaking their own African Record.
A different quartet of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie and Esther Elo Joseph finished 4th in the final of the event at the World Relays. The final was won by the United States in a Championship Record of 3:10.73 ahead of Netherlands who clocked 3:11.45 in 2nd, and Ireland in 3rd in 3:11.53,.
🚨🚨AFRICAN RECORD!!!!
Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie & Esther Elo Joseph came quite close to finishing on the podium in the Mixed 4x400m, finishing 4th with an AR of 3:12.87.
The Nigerian quartet were in a medal position after the 3rd leg, but had to settle for… pic.twitter.com/HDfITWNBd3
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) May 6, 2024
Other African nations also sealed places at this summer’s Games as Liberia men’s 4x100m team ran a national record of 38.65s to win their heat; Botswana won the 4X400m men’s final in a world leading time of 2:59.11; and Akani Simbine led South Africa’s 4x100m relay team as they ran a leading time of 38.08s.
Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith propelled Ivory Coast to an automatic Olympic qualification in women’s 4x100m as the team clocked a season’s best of 42.63s to finish 2nd in their heat.
