By Uzor Odigbo
Nigeria athletes will today begin the battle for a slot in the five relay events of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as the 2024 World Relay takes centre stage in the Bahamas.
The 4x400m mixed relay team will start the day by 7.05 pm (12.05 am Nigeria) while it will be the turn of the 4x100m women with the three others; 4x100m men, 4x400m for men and women. A win in the first round will qualify for the second half-round with the top 14 teams all qualifying for the Olympics later in the year.
The team arrived in the Bahamas on Thursday with both home-based and foreign-based athletes. United States-based Nigerian sprinters, Udodi Onwuzurike, Alaba Akintola and Chidi Okezie all lead the team to Bahamas with African Games medalists, Consider Ekanem and Olayinka Olajide leading the home-based. World Record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, U.S.-based speed star, Onwuzurike, Akintola, Karlingthon Anunagba, Consider Ekanem, Seye Ogunlewe and Israel Okon Sunday are all part of the team.
For the men’s 4x400m, African Games 400m champion, Chidi Okezie headlines the list of eight quartermilers listed to return Nigeria to the Games since Athens 2004. Others listed are Sikiru Adeyemi, Dubem Amene, Ezekiel Nathaniel and his brother, Samson Nathaniel, Dubem Nwanchukwu, Samuel Ogazi and Ifeanyi Ojeli
