Team Nigeria has secured another qualification spot for the 2027 World Championships after a strong showing in the Mixed 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone.

The Nigerian quartet delivered a composed and determined performance to finish second in Heat 2 of the qualification rounds, booking an automatic ticket to the global event.

In a highly competitive race, the team of Samson Nathaniel, Taiwo Kudoro, Chidi Okezie and Patience Okon-George clocked a season’s best of 3:12.88, finishing just behind South Africa, who won the heat in 3:12.77. Germany placed third in 3:12.99.

The result ensured Nigeria claimed one of the two automatic qualification spots from the heat, joining South Africa in securing early passage to the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.

This marks Nigeria’s second relay qualification from the competition, following Saturday’s record-breaking outing in the Mixed 4x100m event. In that race, the team of Favour Ashe, Jennifer Chukwuka-Obi, Chidera Ezeakor and Maria Thompson clocked 40.24 seconds to set a new African record and secure Nigeria’s first qualification ticket.

However, it was not all smooth sailing for Team Nigeria. The women’s 4x400m relay team was unable to compete for qualification, not because of a lack of ability, but because it could not field a complete lineup. Some athletes had competed less than 30 minutes earlier, making it difficult to recover in time for another demanding race.

The setback highlights the importance of depth, planning and timing at the highest level of competition, where fine margins often determine success.

Despite this, Nigeria remains firmly in contention across other events, with attention now shifting to remaining opportunities to secure additional qualification spots.

With two relay tickets already secured and more races ahead, Team Nigeria will be aiming to build on this momentum and strengthen its presence on the global stage.

Tunde Eludini

Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini

Nigeria earns World Championships ticket for mixed 4x400m relay again

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