Nigeria's Women's 4x100m Relay Team Disqualified in Botswana

At the 2026 World Athletics Relays held in Botswana, Nigeria's women's 4x100m relay team was disqualified due to a botched baton exchange during their heat on Saturday. The quartet, comprising Chigozi Nwankwo, Jennifer Chukwuka, Maria Omokw, and Miracl Ezechukwu, was in a strong position but failed to complete the final baton handover, resulting in disqualification under rule TR24.7.

This setback means Nigeria could not secure a place among the five teams that successfully finished the race, which included Jamaica, Germany, and Portugal, with Jamaica winning the heat in 41.96 seconds. The Nigerian team had previously shown promise but faced challenges during the crucial third and fourth exchanges.

As a result, Nigeria will return for the repechage round on Sunday, needing to finish among the top teams to keep their hopes alive for qualification for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.