Nigeria eyes more World Championship spots as relays finals begin in Gaborone
Team Nigeria is competing in the relay finals at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, seeking to add more automatic qualification spots for the upcoming World Championships. In the mixed 4x400m, Nigeria faces hosts Botswana, South Africa, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany, with only the top two teams earning World Championship tickets. The men’s 4x400m lineup will race against Jamaica, Spain, Germany and Kenya, all of whom posted faster times in the opening round. Meanwhile, the women’s 4x400m quartet must beat France, Jamaica and Ireland, each of whom dipped below the 3:30 mark in earlier heats, leaving little margin for error.
The women’s 4x100m team, which dropped the baton in its heat, gets a second chance against the United States, Belgium, France and South Africa—the latter having set a national record of 43.22 seconds. The men’s 4x100m squad draws Jamaica, Japan and Belgium in Heat 2, offering a relatively clearer path. The mixed 4x100m relay team has already secured its World Championship spot and now races for the $40,000 top prize; second and third place earn $20,000 and $10,000 respectively, while teams finishing eighth are guaranteed $2,000.
Fans can follow live updates via Channel TV’s WhatsApp channel or newsletter. Will Nigeria’s relay squads convert their efforts into more World Championship slots and prize money?