Nigeria qualifies for 2027 World Champs via Mixed 4x400m relay silver in Gaborone
Nigeria’s Mixed 4x400m relay team finished second in Heat 2 of the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone on May 2, 2026, clocking a season’s best 3:12.88 to secure an automatic qualification spot for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing. The quartet of Samson Nathaniel, Taiwo Kudoro, Chidi Okezie and Patience Okon-George trailed only South Africa (3:12.77) and ahead of Germany (3:12.99), claiming one of the two automatic berths from the heat.
The result gives Nigeria its second relay qualification from the competition, following a record‑breaking Mixed 4x100m run on Saturday where Favour Ashe, Jennifer Chukwuka-Obi, Chidera Ezeakor and Maria Thompson set a new African record of 40.24 seconds. However, the women’s 4x400m squad could not field a complete lineup because some athletes had raced less than 30 minutes earlier, preventing them from competing for qualification.
With two relay tickets already earned and more events ahead, Team Nigeria aims to build on this momentum and strengthen its presence at the global stage. Will you follow their remaining events and support the push for additional qualification spots as the athletics calendar unfolds?