Nigeria suffered another setback in the women’s 4×100 metres relay at the 2026 World Athletics Relays after a failed baton exchange ended their qualification hopes during the heats on Saturday in Botswana.
The Nigerian team of Chigozie Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka, Maria Omokwe, and Miracle Ezechukwu were in contention during their race at the Botswana National Stadium but lost momentum after a botched handover between Omokwe and Ezechukwu.
The mistake led to their disqualification under rule TR24.7, ruling them out of the top finishers needed to advance automatically.
Jamaica won the heat in 41.96 seconds to secure qualification, while Germany followed in 42.44 seconds. Portugal placed third in a national record time of 43.11 seconds, with Botswana and Hungary completing the race. Belgium and France were also disqualified in a race that saw multiple baton exchange errors.
The result adds to Nigeria’s recurring struggles in the event, as the women’s relay team also suffered a baton mishap during national trials in Gaborone in April, which had earlier affected their qualification campaign.
Despite showing promise in the early stages of the race, Nigeria’s breakdown in coordination during the final exchange ended their chances of finishing among the automatic qualifiers.
As a result, the team missed out on securing direct qualification for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, which is reserved for top finishers and fastest losers.
Nigeria will now compete in the repechage round on Sunday, where they must secure a top finish to keep their qualification hopes alive.
With strong teams such as Jamaica, Spain, Canada, and Germany already through to the final stages, Nigeria face a crucial test as they seek redemption.
