Double Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, on Thursday led Team Nigeria’s 4x100m women’s relay to the final of the event in 42.55secs. It is perhaps, her last chance of redemption for a medal here after failing in both 100m and 200m,
She opted out of the long jump because it clashed with the longer sprint.
The quartet made up of Okagbare, Gloria Asumnu, Jennifer Madu and Agnes Osazuwa trailed Germany that won the heat with 42.18 secs to the finish line in the second place.
USA’s women’s 4×100 relay team, who ran in the same heat as Team Nigeria but dramatically lost out of the final due to an obstruction from a Brazilian runner, was reinstated to the medal rush.
IAAF ruled that the team runs alone later yesterday in a make-up race.
Television pictures appeared to a show a collision between Brazil and the USA moments before the second exchange. Allyson Felix and her teammate, English Gardener lost hold of the baton and stood in amazement before Gardener picked it up and USA finished out of the qualification places.
In the other heat, Veronica Campbell-Brown and dethroned 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce led Jamaica to the final in 41.93secs.
New sprint queen, Elaine Thompson did not take part in the heat but is expected to lead the Jamaican push for the 4x100m gold in the final race.
