Nigeria‘s hopes of fielding a men and women 4x100m relay teams at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have suffered a significant setback.
The Netherlands surged ahead in the qualification race with a record-breaking performance at the European Team Championships in Madrid, clocking a sensational 37.87s and setting a new national record, championships record, and European lead. This achievement effectively knocked Nigeria down to 16th, the last spot of the provisional qualification bracket.
The Dutch team’s performance was impressive, finishing well ahead of Germany (38.27s) and Great Britain (38.33s). The Netherlands’ team, comprising Nsikak Ekpo, Taymir Burnet, Xavi Mo-Ajok, and Elvis Afrifa, executed flawless baton exchanges to dominate the race. This result not only placed them in pole position for one of the two time-based entries to Tokyo but also reasserted their status as a European sprinting force.
With only 16 teams qualifying for the relay events in Tokyo, Nigeria’s position is now precarious. The men’s team, currently sitting 16th, could be bumped further down the list should any of Brazil (38.40s), Jamaica (38.45s), Trinidad & Tobago (38.46s), or other nations improve their times in the coming months.
The women’s 4x100m situation is even bleaker, with Nigeria ranking 17th on the current top list with a best time of 42.70s, trailing both Australia (42.48) and Ivory Coast (42.63), the final two countries currently occupying the time-based qualifying spots.
Nigeria now has a slim margin to correct the course, with the qualification window closing on August 24. The team has four remaining opportunities to improve their times: the Nigerian Championships (July 31–August 2), the Togo Championships (August 9), the CAA Region II Championships in Ghana (August 15–16), and the Ghanaian Championships (August 21–22).
Should Nigeria fail to improve their times within the next four meets, the country’s sprint relay lanes in Tokyo will remain empty, mirroring the missed opportunities of recent global championships.