TEAM Nigeria had a bright morning session in the relays on Day 4 at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday.
The country’s men’s 4×400m quartet of Chidera Nnamani, Dubem Amene, Ezekiel Nathaniel and Bamidele Ajayi won Heat 1 in a time of 3 minutes, 06.70 seconds to ease into the final.
Ajayi, who ran the anchor leg brilliantly in the mixed 4x400m final to lead Nigeria to gold, also played a big part in Saturday’s race, overtaking Ecuador’s Alan Minga in the final leg.
Ecuador finished second in 3:06.94, which is a new national U-20 record, while Poland was third in 3:09.59.
Kenya won Heat 2 in 3:05.77, just ahead of Jamaica (3:05.82), with Botswana third in 3:06.33.
Kenya has the fastest time going into Sunday’s final, with Nigeria fourth best behind Jamaica and Botswana.
In the men’s 4×100, Nigeria’s quartet of Kingsley Unorji, Nicholas Mabilo, Adekalu Fakorede and Godson Oghenbrume set a new African U-20 record of 39.33 seconds to finish third in Heat 1 and qualify for the final.
Poland won the heat in a new European U-20 record of 38.93s, and Jamaica came second in 39.00s.
Moments after Nigeria set the African record, it was equalled by South Africa in Heat 2 as they ran the same 39.33s to win the race.
Italy was second in Heat 2 in 39.56s, while Greece ran a new national U-20 record of 40.13s to finish third.
Poland has the leading time ahead of Sunday’s final, followed by Jamaica, with Nigeria and South Africa joint-third.
