Nigeria’s quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha gallantly finished fourth in the final of the Women’s 4x100m relay event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships with 42.22secs new African record, Completesports.com reports.
The terrific quartet smashed the hitherto African record of 32.39secs set by bronze-winning Team Nigeria’s foursome of Mary Onyali, Christy Opara-Thompson, Beatrice Utondu and Faith Idehen at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
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Running in Lane-8, the Nigeria failed to make a podium feat for the umpteenth time and settled four another fourth position just as the quartet of Chioma Ajunwa, Endurance Ojokolo, Mercy Nku and Mary Onyali-Omagbem did 11 years ago with a time of 42.52 seconds at the 2001 edition in Edmonton, Canada.
https://twitter.com/WorldAthletics/status/1551076638305112064?t=Ie6MFjmprK-ZWI9hpGEjlw&s=19
The rampant USA foursome of Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Twanisha Terry bagged the Women’s 4x100m relay Gold medal in style with a world-leading 41.14 seconds. Jamaica won the Silver in 41.18 seconds, while Germany took home the Bronze with 42.03 seconds finish.
Nigeria missed a podium feat by a whisker. Rosemary Chukwuma who ran the third-leg made a 50-50 dash with Germany’s Gina Luckenkemper, but a faulty baton cost the team a Bronze medal.
3 Comments
Complete Sports please convey this message to minister Dare about the development of Ofili and Nse Uko going down the drain after great Collegiate and NCAA performances only to fall ill and start loosing momentum. This was exactly what happened to Divine Oduduru who shattered NCAA records. There are leaks about an anti Campaign against Nigerian precious talents to hamper their potential before hand and create undue advantage for American home grown talents. I don’t dispute this leaks because before hand Ofili was doing better than Abby Steiner but after this great Collagiate performance that also included 21:96 @200m her performance nosedived at NCAA same way Divine was altered with. This development is the reason Jamaicans stopped working with the American College to develop talents. We must be careful how we expose our talents to dangers all in the name of cheap scholarship. I am speaking out not because I stand to gain anything but because no one is talking about this and only passionate fans will understand my views. Nse Uko, Favor Ofili and Udodi performance declines should all be investigated by the media house and sports ministry.
And why was a team with Automatic qualification placed on lane8 but fast losers placed on better lane? Our heads whom should be disputing this unfair situations are mute or has no clue of what’s going on.
Congratulations Girls. You have done really well and can keep your heads high for coming out 4th, narrowly missing the Podium.
Keep on working hard and by 2023 World Championship and Paris 2024 Olympics you will be strong and brave enough to challenge for a podium finish.