Nigeria’s 4x100m Team in Last-Ditch Bid for World Championships Spot

Nigeria’s men’s 4x100m relay team is set for a final push to secure a place at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, after dropping out of the top 16 in the global rankings, Sport360NG reports.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) confirmed on Saturday that the team will attempt to qualify during the ongoing National Trials at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. This move follows a dramatic shake-up in the relay standings that saw Jamaica and the Netherlands overtake Nigeria for the last two qualification spots.

Jamaica’s scorching 37.80-second finish at the London Diamond League propelled them to 15th in the rankings, while the Netherlands clinched the 16th and final slot with a 37.87s run at the European Championships in Madrid in June. Nigeria, previously holding 16th place with their 38.20s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, now finds itself on the outside looking in.

AFN president Tonobok Okowa, speaking at a press conference on Friday, acknowledged the setback, attributing the current predicament to Nigeria’s absence from the World Relays in China earlier this year.

“Our non-participation in the World Relays has left all our relay teams unqualified,” Okowa said. “The men’s 4x100m squad had a qualifying time before, but Jamaica’s recent performance edged us out of the top 16. We are now in a tough spot.”

Despite the pressure, there is renewed hope. All eight finalists from the men’s 100m at the trials, Israel Okon, Alaba Akintola, Adekalu Fakorede, Seye Ogunlewe, Olaolu Olatunde, James Emmanuel, Enoch Adegoke, and ThankGod Igube, are set to run in the relay trials.

According to the AFN, the athletes will be divided into two squads to compete in a timed event, where only their fastest performance will count towards qualification.

“There’s a strong determination among the sprinters to surpass our current time,” Okowa noted. “We also have some impressive 400m runners who are quick enough to make a difference. The athletes are motivated and ready to do the country proud.”

In a show of regional solidarity and competition, Ghana’s men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams are also in Lagos for the trials. Saturday PUNCH confirmed their attendance as observers during Saturday’s session.

“We want to see what our boys can produce here,” said Okowa. “Even if we don’t make it in Lagos, there’s still hope. The CAA Region II Championships in Ghana from August 13 to 17 offer another chance to qualify. It will be a tough contest, but one worth chasing.”

To guarantee a spot in Tokyo, Nigeria will likely need to better their 38.20s mark, possibly dipping under 38 seconds. That would not only improve their ranking but also put them within striking distance of the national record of 37.94s, set in Athens in 1997.