Nigeria begin World Relays ticket chase in Calabar

Nigeria will commence their quest for qualification for the 2026 World Relays at the MTN Champs Athletics Classic in Calabar today (Friday).

The event, which spans from Thursday to Saturday, will showcase international relay competitions between Nigeria and Ethiopia, as both countries strive to achieve qualifying standards for the World Relays set for May 2 to 3 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Organisers revealed on Thursday that the two nations will compete in the mixed, men’s, and women’s 4x400m relays as part of their efforts to secure spots for the global event, with the qualification period remaining open until April 5.

As reported by Making of Champions, the Calabar meeting signifies the first instance of an East African nation participating in the MTN Champs competition, thereby adding an international aspect to the domestic athletics series.

"For the first time at MTN Champs, an East African country is participating in this competition. Ethiopia is in Calabar to compete in the continental relays, pursuing qualifications for the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana. They will be competing in the mixed 400m, men’s and women’s 4x400m, and the flat 400m," the organisers stated in a message on X.

The mixed 4x400m relay is set to occur on Friday, while the finals for the men’s and women’s 4x400m will wrap up the meet on Saturday.

Although the relay teams for Nigeria have yet to be disclosed, several Nigerian quarter-milers are already registered for the individual 400m events in Calabar, including Patience Okon-George, Anita Enurana, Toheebat Jimoh, Ezekiel Asuquo, Emmanuel Ojeli, Gafar Badmus, and Victor Sampson.

Ethiopia has also initiated competition in the individual events, with Merdekiyos Wolde Wachiso winning heat 3 of the men’s 400m with a time of 47.20 seconds on Thursday.

The Calabar meet marks the commencement of Season four of the MTN Champs series and is anticipated to play a vital role in Nigeria’s preparations for the World Relays. The series will proceed with the Continental Relays in Jos from March 26 to 28, culminating in the grand finale in Ibadan from April 15 to 18.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has previously stated that the Calabar and Jos legs will provide significant opportunities for the nation’s relay teams to achieve qualification.

Making of Champions confirmed the federation’s strategy during the season launch in mid-February, emphasizing that both competitions would be instrumental in Nigeria’s preparations for the global event.

The 2026 World Relays programme will include six events: the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays, the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays, along with the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relays.

Teams that placed in the top eight of each relay event at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have already secured automatic qualification for the competition in Gaborone, while the remaining slots will be filled based on global rankings. A maximum of 24 teams will participate in each event, with the host nation Botswana automatically entered in all races.

In addition to the pursuit of medals, the World Relays will also act as a pathway for teams aiming for qualification for the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, thereby adding further importance to Nigeria’s qualification campaign commencing in Calabar.