Nigerian quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha ran the race of their lives early Sunday morning in the final of the women’s 4x100m event at the ongoing World Championships in Oregon to write their names in the record books.
The team ran a time of 42.22s to break the long-standing 42.39s African Record set by their compatriots, Christy Opara-Thompson, Faith Idehen, Beatrice Utondu and Mary Onyali, at the Barcelona 92 Olympics where Nigeria ended with a bronze medal.
Udo-Gabriel ran a well-executed first leg before handing over to Ofili who sustained the momentum.
Then it was the turn of Chukwuma for the third leg and she did well before handing over to Nwokocha who finished off brilliantly.
However, despite their record-breaking race, the Nigerian ladies still did not make it to the podium as they finished fourth behind the United States who won with a fast time of 41.14s.
Jamaica and Germany finished second and third.
Nigeria had initially been kicked out of the women’s relay events in Oregon because of doping infractions established against Blessing Okagbare.
Okagbare and three others ran a time of 42.97s at the Yabatech Sports Complex, Lagos and that had kept them in the last qualification spot up until she was banned.
However France pulled out to make a way for Nigeria to not just come on board but to set a new African record.
Despite the disappoiment of not winning a medal, the relatively young Nigerian women’s relay team have the Commonwealth Games starting this week in Birmingham to look forward to for possible medals.
(Arise News)
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