Team Nigeria could not present a team in the women’s 4x400m event at the World Relay, which began in Nassau, Bahamas, yesterday, due to the absence of U.S.-based speed star, Omolara Ogunmakinju. She sustained injury while competing in a Conference race in the U.S. a few days ago.
The setback notwithstanding, a board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Victor Okorie, who is with the athletes in the Caribbean Island, told The Guardian, yesterday, that he is optimistic Nigeria will get the tickets in the other four relays.
“It’s sad we don’t have Omolara and Patience Okon George on ground here to help our women’s 4x400m team, but I can tell you that we are good to go in the remaining four relays. I am very sure we will get those tickets,” Okorie stated.
Team Nigeria’s 4x400m mixed relay team and the women’s 4x100m battled alongside the United States, Switzerland, Brazil, France and Japan in yesterday’s opening day of the World Relays, which is a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
World Record Holder in the 100m hurdles, U.S.-based Tobi Amusan could not make the trip to the Caribbean Island, but in her absence,FavourOfililed the 4x100m squad.
The men’s 4x100m relay team also battled without the duo of Godson Brume and Favour Ashe in their contest against Great Britain, Turkey, Spain, Poland, Trinidad and Tobago and France, yesterday.
Also, the Nigeria men’s 4x400m team was without the trio of Nathaniel Ezekiel, IfeanyiOjeli and Samson Nathaniel in their contest against Belgium,Jamaica, the Czech Republic and Turkey, yesterday.
The countries that failed to get the tickets yesterday eveningwill be pooled together today (second day) where the first three in each heat will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. But they will not run in the final of the events this evening, and will not have a share of the prize money on offer.
