Nigeria’s quartet of Favour Ashe, Jennifer Obi, Chidera Ezeakor and Maria Thompson Omokwe have secured qualification for both the World Relays final and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
The team opened Nigeria’s campaign at the World Relays in Gaborone in emphatic fashion, delivering a historic performance in the mixed 4x100m event.
They clocked an African record time of 40.24 seconds, finishing fourth in their heat but advancing as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers to reach the final.
On the opening day of the competition, which runs from May 2 to 3, Nigeria produced a composed display in Heat 1, holding their nerve in a tightly contested race to secure qualification for Beijing 2027.
Alongside Nigeria, the United States, Jamaica, Great Britain & Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany also qualified in the mixed 4x100m, underlining the depth of competition in the event.
In a highly competitive round, Canada initially set a short-lived world record of 40.07 seconds, which was quickly eclipsed by Jamaica’s 39.99 seconds in the final heat. Germany followed with 40.15s, while the Netherlands recorded 40.20 seconds.
Nigeria’s record-breaking performance not only secured a place in the final but also guaranteed qualification for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, marking a significant milestone for the team.
Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m team also kept their hopes alive after running 3:01.04s to finish sixth, with Badmus, Ojeli, Ime and Asuquo progressing to the repechage round.
The mixed relay finals on Sunday will determine additional qualification spots for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 2026, with the top six teams in both events sealing automatic places.
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