The women’s 4x400m relay team from Nigeria achieved qualification for the upcoming World Relays Championships during a stellar Day 3 of the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics held in Calabar on Saturday.
Featuring a mix of veteran and emerging athletes, the team, consisting of three-time Olympian Patience Okon-George, Anita Enaruna, Treasure Okereke, and Jecinter Lawrence, recorded a time of 3:31.14 to win their event. This impressive performance propelled Nigeria to the 21st spot in the world rankings, surpassing Mexico and securing a placement at the World Relays set to occur in Botswana in May.
The significance of this qualification is heightened as it marks the inaugural staging of the World Relays on African soil.
Ethiopia's team finished second with a time of 3:38.31, while Nigeria's Team B finished third, clocking 3:40.50.
This achievement represents the second instance in which a Nigerian team has qualified for the World Relays via the MTN CHAMPS, following the success of the mixed 4x100m relay team last year at the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays in Lagos.
Men's Team Misses Qualification
In contrast, Nigeria's men's 4x400m relay team fell short of qualification despite a commendable effort. The team composed of Emmanuel Ojeli, Gafar Badmus, Victor Sampson, and Samson Nathaniel completed their race in 3:04.59, just shy of the qualification standard of 3:03.46.
Nigeria's Team B placed second with a time of 3:11.78, and Ethiopia took the third position in 3:21.44.
Sprint Finals on Day 3
The final day of the competition showcased stellar performances in various sprint events. Notably, Toheebat Jimoh of Team MTN clinched her second gold medal by winning the women’s 200m in a personal best time of 24.51 seconds, adding to her victory in the 400m the previous day. Her teammate Miracle Donald finished a close second in 24.59, while Odot Udo took third in 24.88.
In the men's 200m final, Olaoluwa Obashola triumphed with a time of 21.74 seconds, despite facing a headwind of -2.0m/s. Joshua Wali and Ezekiel Asuquo secured second and third place, respectively.
Promising Results in Junior Categories
In the Junior Women’s 200m event, athletes Miracle Ezechukwu and Rosemary Nwankwo repeated their 100m results, winning gold and silver respectively. Ezechukwu finished the race in 23.47 seconds, while Nwankwo clocked 23.79. Lutheran High's Etieno Israel earned bronze in 24.60 seconds.
In the Junior Men’s 200m, Liberty Okon from Team Akwa Ibom secured his second title of the competition with a time of 21.90 seconds. Team MTN’s Michael Aniche followed closely with a personal best of 22.16, while Israel Okon from Grace Gold took the bronze in 22.28.
Success in Field Events
In field events, Samuel Kure delivered an outstanding performance in the men’s javelin, winning gold with a throw of 77.50m, while Clergy Edet excelled in the women's high jump with a personal best of 1.75m.
The three-day MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics came to a close with remarkable displays across many disciplines, underscoring the event's pivotal role in nurturing Nigeria’s future athletics talents.
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