Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team, consisting of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathanial, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie, has been disqualified from the final of the Paris Olympics under controversial circumstances, News About Nigeria reports.
Despite finishing second in their heat with a season-best time of 2:59.81, the team was disqualified after one of the Nigerian sprinters was adjudged to have crossed into another lane, causing a South African runner to trip.
This ruling handed Nigeria’s second-place qualification spot to South Africa, knocking the Nigerian quartet out of the final.
The disqualification overshadowed what would have been a remarkable achievement for the team, marking the fastest time by a Nigerian 4x400m team since the 2004 Athens Olympics.
France emerged as the winners of Heat 2 with a time of 2:59.53, while Belgium secured the third automatic qualification spot with a time of 2:59.84.
The Nigerian team’s time, although now void, would have secured them a place in the final.
The disqualification is a huge blow to Nigeria’s track and field prospects at the Paris Olympics.
Historically, Nigeria has enjoyed success in the 4x400m relay, having won bronze, gold, and bronze medals in the 1984, 1996, and 2004 Olympics, respectively.
In another disappointing outcome for Nigeria, the women’s 4x400m team failed to qualify for the Paris Games, leaving the country without representation in the event.
Additionally, Nigeria’s top hurdler and world record holder, Tobi Amusan, faced a shocking exit from the 100-metre hurdles semi-finals.
Amusan finished third in her heat with a time of 12.55 seconds, narrowly missing the top two automatic qualification spots and ending up ninth overall, just outside the top eight required to advance to the final.
Amusan’s performance was hampered by a slow start, leaving her trailing behind her competitors early in the race.
Although she made an attempt to recover in the latter stages, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the final.
