Team Nigeria seals World Relays spot as MTN CHAMPS ends in Calabar

Team Nigeria’s women’s 4x400m relay team on Saturday secured qualification for the upcoming World Relays Championships as the MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics wrapped up in Calabar with a strong Day 3 performance.

The quartet of veteran runner and three-time Olympian Patience Okon-George alongside rising talents Anita Enaruna, Treasure Okereke, and Jecinter Lawrence clocked 3:31.14 to claim victory in the event and move up to 21st in the world rankings. The performance displaced Mexico and sealed Nigeria’s place at the World Relays scheduled for May in Botswana.

The qualification is particularly significant as the World Relays will be staged on African soil for the first time.

Team Ethiopia finished a distant second in the race with a time of 3:38.31, while Team Nigeria B placed third in 3:40.50.

This marks the second time a Nigerian team has secured qualification for the World Relays through an MTN CHAMPS competition. The mixed 4x100m relay team—currently the only other Nigerian team already qualified for the event—achieved the feat at the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays in Lagos last year.

Men’s team falls short

Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team narrowly missed out on qualification despite a strong effort.

The quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Gafar Badmus, Victor Sampson, and Samson Nathaniel ran 3:04.59, falling just under two seconds short of the 3:03.46 benchmark required for qualification.

Team Nigeria B finished second in 3:11.78, while Team Ethiopia placed third in 3:21.44.

Sprint finals highlight Day 3

The final day of competition also produced impressive performances across several sprint events.

Team MTN’s Toheebat Jimoh secured her second gold medal of the competition, winning the women’s 200m in a personal best time of 24.51 seconds to add to the 400m title she claimed a day earlier. Her teammate Miracle Donald finished second in 24.59, while Odot Udo took third in 24.88.

In the men’s 200m final, Olaoluwa Obashola claimed victory in 21.74 seconds despite running into a -2.0m/s headwind. Joshua Wali and Ezekiel Asuquo finished second and third respectively.

Strong showing in junior categories

In the Junior Women’s 200m, N-Youth athletes Miracle Ezechukwu and Rosemary Nwankwo repeated their 100m finishing positions to take gold and silver.

Ezechukwu won the race in 23.47 seconds while Nwankwo clocked 23.79. Lutheran High’s Etieno Israel finished third in 24.60.

Team Akwa Ibom’s Liberty Okon secured his second title of the competition by winning the Junior Men’s 200m in 21.90. Team MTN’s Michael Aniche finished second with a personal best of 22.16, while Grace Gold’s Israel Okon took bronze in 22.28.

Youth and cadet races

Success Onu of Emotan won the Youth Girls’ 200m in 24.90 ahead of Team BPS’ Rebecca Enilolobo (25.26) and Eagles International’s Miracle Festus (25.27).

Team MTN’s Emmanuel Akolo completed a sprint double by winning the Youth Boys’ 200m in 22.45 after claiming the 100m title the previous day. His teammate Fervent Edet finished second in 23.48, while Government Model’s Daniel Okwokwo placed third in 24.27.

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In the Cadet Girls’ race, Community School Mbiaso’s Esther James claimed the 200m title in 28.43 ahead of Uyaiabasi Okon of Eagles International (28.73) and Emmanuella Eteng of Faanss (29.43).

Another Community School Mbiaso athlete, Wisdom Archibong, dominated the Cadet Boys’ race, winning in 26.47. St Michael Model Comprehensive’s Moses Ogidi finished second in 27.47, while Ifiok Sunday of Eagles International took third in 27.66.

Field events

In the field events, Team Nigeria’s Samuel Kure produced a dominant display in the men’s javelin, recording a best throw of 77.50m to take gold. Ezekiel Nyong of Cross River State finished second, while Elijah Etim secured bronze.

Clergy Edet also impressed in the women’s high jump, claiming the title with a new lifetime best of 1.75m.

The three-day MTN CHAMPS Athletics Classics in Calabar concluded with strong performances across multiple categories, further highlighting the competition’s growing role in identifying and developing Nigeria’s next generation of track and field stars.