AFN Shifts Focus to Botswana Trials, Abandons US Relays

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), led by President Tonobok Okowa, has ruled out the pursuit of qualifying for the World Athletics Relays in the United States. Instead, the federation will concentrate on the Botswana National Trials, scheduled for April 3-5 at the Gaborone venue.

Okowa confirmed that Nigeria will no longer attempt to qualify for the relays in Baton Rouge, despite several Nigerian collegiate athletes expected to compete individually in various events, including Rosemari Chukwuma in the 100m and Ella Onojuvwevwo in the 400m. The decision comes as Nigeria has already qualified for three out of six relay events, and the AFN aims to maximize its qualification opportunities within the extended window approved by the athletics commission.

The federation remains optimistic that the Botswana trials will provide a final chance to secure a place for the World Relays, particularly for the women's 4x100m team, which requires improvement to surpass the qualification mark by the April 5 deadline.