Team Nigeria’s Camp for World Relays Opens In Lagos
Team Nigeria’s camp for the World Relays Championship holding in Gaborone, Botswana, opened yesterday in Lagos.
The Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Gabriel Okon, is expected to oversee the camping programme that will last for a week.
Athletes expected in Camp include; 4×100 Men: Enoch Adegoke, James Taiwo Emmanuel, Chidera Ezeakor, and Tejire Godwin .
For the Men’s 4×400m, Ezekiel Enoh Azukwo, Gafari Badmus, Victor Ime,
Samson Nathaniel and Emmanuel Ojeli make up the quarter mile relay squad.
Jenifer Chukwuka, Miracle Ezechukwu, Rosemary Nwankwo, and Maria Thompson Omokwe are to run the women’s 4x100m relay while for the women’s 4x400m, Anita Enaruna, Patience okon George, Toheebat Jimoh,
Taiwo Mary Kudoro, Jecinta Lawrence, Esther Okon, and Sekiru Adewale Adeyemi make up the team.
The foreign-based athletes are expected to join the team in Gaborone.
The World Relays Championship is scheduled to hold between May 2nd and 3rd, 2026.
Meanwhile, it was a weekend of strong statements and sharpened intent as Africa’s finest lit up the track at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, with several stars building momentum ahead of upcoming meets in Gaborone and Accra.
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Anthony Edward Jr stormed to victory in 13.61 seconds, fending off a spirited challenge from Yusuf Badawi, who clocked 13.76.
Nigeria’s Musa Wisdom settled for third in 14.34, a performance that still keeps him in contention heading into the next leg of competition.
The women’s 400m delivered one of the standout performances of the meet, with Femi Adekoya blazing to a winning time of 50.28 seconds. Mercy Chebet followed in 51.38, while Nigeria’s veteran Patience Okon George crossed in 51.70 to claim third, showing experience and consistency on the continental stage.
In the men’s 400m, Botswana’s Justice Oratile stole the spotlight with an impressive 44.92 finish, holding off Ruathdel Nhial Gnange (45.53). Nigeria’s Nathaniel Samson clocked 45.89 to round out the podium in a tightly contested race.
The men’s 200m brought more fireworks, as Kenya’s Samuel Chege Waweru surged to victory in 20.63 seconds.
Fellow Kenyan Zablon Ekwam secured second in 20.85, while Nigeria’s Chidi Okezie claimed third in 20.92 after a strong finish.
Off the track, Nigeria also had a strong presence in the stands, as Chief Tonobok Okowa, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, attended the event as a special guest of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation.
His presence underlined growing collaboration across African athletics.
