Team Nigeria claimed a fourth qualification ticket in Gaborone at the 2026 Debswana World Athletics Relays, combining three World Championships berths with a place at the World Ultimate Challenge later this year, www.aclsports.com reports.
The final day in Gaborone began with the mixed 4x400m team returning to action after narrowly missing automatic qualification in their opening heat. The quartet of Samson Nathaniel, Taiwo Kudoro, Chidi Okezie, and Patience Okon-George produced a controlled performance in the repechage, clocking a Season’s Best of 3:12.88 to finish second behind South Africa, who won in 3:12.77.
That result secured Nigeria’s second qualification for next year’s World Championships in the mixed 4x400m event.
Shortly after, the women’s 4x100m team responded strongly to Saturday’s baton exchange setback, delivering a composed run in the repechage. The quartet of Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka Obi, Maria Thompson Omokwe, and Miracle Ezechukwu ran a Season’s Best of 42.94 seconds to finish second behind France, who edged the race in 42.92.
The performance ensured Nigeria’s third World Championships ticket of the competition.
In the men’s 4x400m repechage, Nigeria came agonisingly close to another qualification. Gafari Badmus, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ojeli, Victor Ime, and Ezekiel Asuquo remained in contention throughout but finished third in 3:01.43, missing out by just 0.06 seconds behind Spain.
Later in the mixed 4x100m final, Nigeria’s quartet of Favour Ashe, Jennifer Chukwuka Obi, Chidera Ezeakor, and Maria Thompson Omokwe clocked 42.03 seconds to finish sixth in a competitive race.
Despite finishing outside the podium places, the result secured Nigeria a spot at the World Ultimate Challenge in Budapest later this year, with the team emerging as the only African nation to qualify in the mixed 4x100m.
By the end of competition, Team Nigeria left Botswana with three World Championships qualifications across relay events, alongside a place at the World Ultimate Challenge, underlining their growing strength and consistency on the global stage.
