Sports
Paris 2024: Team Nigeria Begins Olympic Relay Berths
- Team Nigeria vying for spots in all five relay events to secure a berth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- Nigeria aims to secure top-14 finishes to ensure participation in Paris.
- Despite challenges like the absence of Favour Ashe, Nigeria remains focused on achieving its Olympic qualification goals.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Nigeria’s team kicks off their bid for relay event tickets at the World Athletics Relays starting today in Nassau, Bahamas, aiming for spots in all five events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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Confirmed by World Athletics, the two-day global event will witness 893 athletes from 54 nations competing for spots at the centenary games on Saturday and Sunday.
The World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 acts as a qualifier for the Paris Olympics.
With the top 14 teams in each event securing automatic berths at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The remaining two spots in each discipline will be determined by top lists.
During the qualification period spanning from December 31, 2022, to June 30, 2024.
4×100 women’s team
Following their achievements at the World Relays, Team Nigeria holds the second position in Africa, trailing behind Kenya, and ranks 16th globally.
Their accomplishments include securing gold in the 4x100m, bronze in the 4x400m.
Along with one fourth and fifth place finishes, along with three seventh place finishes, totaling 29 points.
Among the 29 confirmed athletes representing Nigeria at the event, Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, takes the spotlight.
Amusan’s contributions have been pivotal to Nigeria’s recent triumphs in the women’s 4x100m relay, clinching gold at both the African Games and Commonwealth Games.
However, the latter victory was nullified following a doping infraction by another member of the relay team.
The 26-year-old Amusan is joined by a formidable lineup, including Nigeria’s 200m record holder Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma.
Justina Eyakpobeyan, Tima Godbless, Elo Blessing, and African Games double sprint medalist Olayinka Olajide.
A notable absence from the men’s 4x100m team list is Favour Ashe.
Nigeria’s fastest man this year, boasting two sub-10 second finishes (9.96 seconds and 9.99 seconds).
Nigeria Athletes at 2023 African Games
Despite his impressive outdoor form, the 21-year-old Auburn University undergraduate’s name was notably absent from the final entry list released by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
No reason has been provided for his exclusion, though sources suggest the sprinter was not released by his university to be in the Bahamas.
Following this development, Godson Oghenebrume and Udodi Onwuzurike will spearhead Nigeria’s campaign in the men’s 4x100m.
They will be accompanied by Alaba Akintola, Karlington Anunagba, Consider Ekanem, Seye Ogunlewe, and Israel Okon Sunday.
Their aim is to clinch a top-14 finish, securing a coveted lane at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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This however, a milestone Nigeria hasn’t accomplished since the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
In the 4x400m men’s relay, African Games champion Chidi Okezie leads the effort for Nigeria’s return to the Olympics since 2004 in Athens, Greece.
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