Olympics: Nigeria’s Mixed 4x400m Team Sets New African Record
Nigeria’s Mixed 4x400m Relay Team ran an impressive 3:13.60 to set a new African and National Record as they finished fifth in Heat 1 of this event which made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Poland won the event topping the time sheets in the heats after the United States team were disqualified. Netherlands finished second and Jamaica qualified in third place overall.
Emmanuel Ojeli, Imaobong Nse Uko, Samson Nathaniel and Patience Okon-George were the four athletes who graced the Olympic Stadium track, running from lane 8 for Nigeria as they made history becoming the first team from Africa to run in this event to the Olympics.
Ojeli took the opening leg and ran with so much power and heart handing the baton to Imaobong, the National Sports Festival 400m Champion who ran the second leg, with Nigeria looking to have been in a good position to qualify for the final.
However, with the country deviating from the man-woman-woman-man strategy every nation used, Ikon-George ran the anchor for Nigeria but couldn’t maintain the lead as she got overhauled by her male counterparts.
Samson Nathaniel had given Okon-George a lead of about 30 metres, but the Nigerian woman was comfortably passed by all the men in the final leg of the relay.
USA and Dominican Republic who had a 1-2 finish later got disqualified due to varying degrees of lane infractions. The American team, comprising Elija Godwin, Lynna Irby, Taylor Manson and Bryce Deadmon were disqualified for exchanging the baton outside the changeover zone.
Chidi Nwoke/Making of Champions.
