Team Nigeria arrived in Gaborone with intent and left with momentum.

At the Lefika International Relays, the Nigerian contingent delivered a statement performance, claiming victories in two of the four events and significantly strengthening their bid for qualification to the World Athletics Relays.

The headline moment belonged to the mixed 4x100m relay team, who didn’t just win they rewrote history. The quartet of Chidera Ezeakor, Maria Omokwe, James Emmanuel, and Jennifer Chukwuka stormed to a stunning 41.44 seconds, setting a new African record in the newly introduced event. It was a race defined by precision and poise, with Nigeria establishing both a national and continental benchmark in one emphatic run.

That time proved more than symbolic. It catapulted Nigeria from 22nd to 12th in the global qualification rankings, placing them comfortably within the top 24 needed to secure a spot at the World Relays. Kenya followed in second with a national record of 41.70s, but it was Nigeria who made the biggest leap overtaking Ecuador and Spain in the process.

There was more progress in the men’s 4x400m, where Nigeria clocked a season’s best of 3:02.98 to finish third behind Kenya and Zimbabwe. Samson Nathaniel, Emmanuel Ojeli, Victor Sampson, and Sikiru Adeyemi combined for a gritty performance that pushed the team into 22nd on the global list just inside the qualification zone. In doing so, they edged past Thailand, Switzerland, and Zambia, while Zimbabwe climbed just ahead into 21st.

In the men’s 4x100m, Nigeria maintained their winning rhythm. Though not their fastest outing, a season’s best of 38.98 seconds was enough to secure victory. Enoch Adegoke, Chidera Ezeakor, Godwin Tejiri, and Emmanuel James executed clean baton exchanges and a strong finish to seal maximum points.

Not every event brought the desired outcome. The mixed 4x400m team posted 3:16.33, a time that leaves their qualification hopes hanging delicately as the window nears its close.

These performances form a critical part of Nigeria’s push toward the World Relays, where only the top 24 teams in each event will qualify. The pathway includes automatic spots from the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, host allocations, and rankings compiled between January 1, 2025, and April 5, 2026.

Nigeria had earlier secured a provisional place in the women’s 4x400m with a time of 3:31.14 at the MTN Champs Athletics Classics in March. However, that position remains precarious, with the team currently sitting 23rd just one place above the qualification cut-off.

With the clock ticking and global competition tightening, Team Nigeria now turns its focus to a decisive final push in the United States.

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