Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team has qualified for the 2026 World Relays after clocking a season’s best of 3 minutes 2.98 seconds at the Lefika Invitational Relay in South Africa.
The quartet of Samson Nathaniel, Emmanuel Ojeli, Victor Sampson, and Sikiru Adeyemi brought the baton around in third place, finishing behind Kenya in first and Zimbabwe in second.
The time lifted Nigeria to 22nd in the world rankings, knocking out Thailand, Switzerland and Zambia. Zimbabwe, which finished ahead of Nigeria on the day, moved up to 21st.
The World Relays, scheduled for May 2–3 in Gainesville, Florida, serve as a key qualification pathway for the World Athletics Championships.
The performance is a strong step for Nigeria’s 4x400m, which has been rebuilding its depth and consistency in recent seasons.
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