Sports

World Championship: Nigeria Women’s 4x100m Relay Team To Feature In Oregon

Nigeria’s 4x100m women’s relay team will participate in the World Athletics Championship to hold in Oregon, USA despite the ban placed on Blessing Okagbare by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) over anti-doping violations.

The 100m and 200m former African champion had not corporated with investigators which culminated in her 10 years ban which was later extended to 11 years.

In a twist of fate which makes for a good reading for the Nigerian contigent to the Championship, the women’s team will be in action as they have been listed to feature in Oregon as France women’s team have been depleted and may not be able to produce a team.

An official of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria told the media:

“We just got this news that France women’s 4x100m relay team is depleted, and may not be able to attend the championships in Oregon.

“As things stand, our women’s 4x100m relay may be in Oregon in July.

Those listed on the team are: Tobi Amusan, Rosemary Chukwuma, Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha, Favour Ofili, Joy Chinenye Udo-Gabriel who have a season best time of 43.25s.

The 2022 World Athletics Championship will hold between July 15 and 24.

The Championship was moved to 2022 due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to 2021 that resulted from the effect of Covid-19.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.