Nigeria’s men and women’s relay teams arrived in Gaborone, Botswana last night ahead of the World Athletics’ Relay Championships scheduled for between May 2 and May 3, 2026.
The country’s contingent consisting of 24 athletes flew out via Ethiopian Airlines, with a scheduled stopover in Addis Ababa before arrival in Gaborone.
Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Gabriel Okon, is full of high hopes of the Nigerian six relay teams securing qualification spots for the World Athletics Championships in Beijing 2027 and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Before the departure of the team yesterday, an advance party, headed by AFN Secretary, Israel Inwang, had earlier arrived in Botswana on Sunday.
This year’s World Relays carries added significance as it is offering qualification pathways to both the World Athletics Championships in Beijing 2027 and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
A total of 723 athletes from 40 countries are registered, underscoring the scale of competition. Team USA was amongst the early arrivals in the Botswana city.
All six reigning relay champions from 2025 are expected to defend their titles, alongside medal-winning nations from the World Championships and Olympic Games, setting the stage for a high-intensity showdown.
For Nigeria, the focus is to deliver strong relay performances and secure valuable tickets to the next level of global athletics competition.
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