The mixed 4x100m relay opened the medal events at the championship, but Nigeria failed to line up after Miracle Ezechukwu, Favour Ashe and Rosemary Nwankwo were left in Nigeria due to visa complications.
As of Thursday, a source within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) told PUNCH that at least one of the athletes was yet to secure a visa, raising doubts over Nigeria’s participation in the event.
The mixed 4x100m relay is making its global senior track and field championship debut following its inclusion at the World Relays earlier this year, with each quartet competing in national kits.
Six teams automatically qualified for the Budapest event after reaching the final of the mixed 4x100m relay at the World Relays in May.
The six teams were Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Nigeria, Spain and the United States.
The relay is the only event at the Ultimate Championship with a country quota, with just one quartet from each nation allowed to compete. There is no such restriction in the individual events, unlike at conventional global championships.
Nigeria secured their place after clocking 42.03 seconds in the World Relays final to finish among the top six teams.
The quartet of Favour Ashe, Jennifer Chukwuka-Obi, Maria Thompson and reigning National Sports Festival champion Chidera Ezeakor delivered the performance that earned Nigeria a place at the high-profile, prize-rich championship.
Despite qualifying on the track, Nigeria’s hopes of contesting the inaugural mixed 4x100m medal were ultimately undone by visa problems.
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!