The quartet is set to complete the relays team with nine days remaining in the qualification window for the Paris Games. This quartet did not make it to the Olympics at the World Relays in the Bahamas, where Nigeria’s other quartets qualified.
Some athletes, like Patience Okon-George, were unable to obtain visas, and sensational 2023 African Games anchor leg Omolara Ogunmakinju was unable to compete due to injury. As a result, they were unable to travel to the Bahamas.
“For the time we have right now, I know that we are good to go at the African Senior Athletics Championship in Cameroon and I think we are going to drop a good time there, if not 3:24s, then 3:25s. If the four of us can split 51s each, it will be so good for us,” Okon-George said via Making of Champions.
The 32-year-old finished second in the women’s 400m at the just-concluded National Trials in Benin City in 51.76s but she was delighted by the rise of younger athletes like winner Esther Joseph who won the race in a time of 51.70s.
“I’m very happy because right from time I have been looking forward to us making a strong comeback in the women’s 400m. When I stepped into track and field there were lots of people running 51s at that time. The younger ladies are now running good times as well and I pray that God gives them the grace to hang on.”
Each member of the quartet will also be running the women’s 400m flat in Cameroon to punch their individual tickets to Paris.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s star-studded contingent to the African Championships includes world record holder in women’s 100m hurdles Tobi Amusan, sprint sensation Favour Ofili, Ese Brume, Temitope Adeshina and Chioma Onyekwere.
Others are Favour Ashe, Chidi Okezie, new men’s 400m champion Dubem Amene and new 100m national champion Kanyinsola Ajayi.
