With the IAAF announcing the Bahamas as host nation for the 2017 World Relays, Nigeria will mostly have good memories going back to the Caribbean country next year.
There is no World Relays Championship this year, taking a break from the competition that started two years ago. So how did Nigeria fare on both occasions, considering that the relays have always been a huge pool from which the country has drawn medals in the past?
2014 World Relays:
At the inaugural edition of the World Relays, Nigeria got a placement on the medal table, courtesy of a Bronze medal won in the women’s 4x400m.
The quartet of Folasade Abugan, Regina George, Bukola Abogunloko and Patience Okon-George were in good form, running a Championship Record (CR) of 3:27.07 in the heats. They were obviously exhausted in the final as USA ran a new CR of 3:21.73 to take GOLD.
Jamaica got the Silver in 3:23.26, but it was with a slight margin that they got the better of Nigeria who settled for Bronze in a time of 3:23.41.
In the women’s 4x100m, Nigeria’s Gloria Asumnu, Blessing Okagbare, Dominque Duncan and Francesca Okwara were narrowly edged out of a podium placement, finishing 4th in 42.67s, while Trinidad & Tobago who won Bronze, finished with a time of 42.66s. USA ran a CR of 41.88s to win GOLD, with Jamaica taking Silver in 42.28s.
Duncan, Okwara, Regina and Okon-George ran a then National Record (NR) of 1:33.71 to finish 7th in the women’s 4x200m.
A different scenario played out in the men’s category as Elvis Ukale, Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Nicholas Imhoaperamhe and Isah Salihu who competed for Nigeria in the 4x200m, Did Not Finish (DNF) their race.
In the men’s 4x400m, Salihu, Amaechi Morton, Tobi Ogunmola and Noah Akwu finished 4th in their heat with a time of 3:04.48.
2015 World Relays:
Nigeria went a step further by winning its first World Relays GOLD, taking the women’s 4x200m title with a World Lead (WL) and National Record (NR) of 1:30.52s. The race threw up some surprises which worked in Nigeria’s favour.
For instance the US team, which had Allyson Felix in tow, failed to get their baton exchange right. Nigeria’s quartet comprising of Blessing Okagbare, Regina George, Dominique Duncan and Christy Udoh capitalized on this weakness and went ahead to take the victory.
Anchoring the Bahamas, 400m World Silver medallist Shaunae Miller chased down Udoh in a thrilling last leg; however her country was later disqualified and Jamaica promoted to 2nd position, running a time of 1:31.73s, with Germany finishing 3rd in 1:33.61s.
Okagbare still went ahead to help Nigeria in the 4x100m, where the team finished 7th in 42.99. By virtue of making the final, they secured an automatic spot for the Rio 2016 Olympic games.
The Nigerian women’s 4x400m team wasn’t as strong as the previous one that scooped the Bronze medal a year before; the 2015 quartet: Rita Ossai, Patience Okon George, Ibukun Mayungbe and Ngozi Onwumere finished 4th in their heat in 3:32.16.
In the male category, while the 4x200m got disqualified, the 4x400m team made up of Orupke Erayokan, Robert Simmons, Amaechi Morton and Miles Ukaoma, could only finish 7th, clocking 3:06.92.
2017 World Relays:
With the World Relays making a return next year, Nigeria will be looking at improving on the two medals gotten from past editions of the championship. Starting with Rio 2016, a possible improvement in the country’s 13 medal-haul from the Olympics relays, would be a big boost ahead of Bahamas 2017.
Interestingly, Nigeria is yet to present a men’s 4x100m team at the World Relays. Maybe next year will see them break that duck.
Did you know: Nigeria is ranked as the overall 4th best nation in the world with just two medals?
