Nigeria’s Athletics Team Travels to Gaborone for 2026 World Athletics Relays
Team Nigeria is set to arrive in Gaborone today, marking the culmination of a long and complex journey from Lagos. This arrival is part of the team’s extensive preparations for the 2026 World Athletics Relays, an event that holds significant importance for the country’s athletes.
The Nigerian delegation departed Nigeria early on Monday aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, starting a two-leg trip that will see them land in Botswana at 14:35 local time on Tuesday. The journey includes more than 12 hours of flying time and an extended stopover in Addis Ababa. The first leg of the trip took five hours and 20 minutes, with the team arriving in Ethiopia before a scheduled layover of 19 hours and 30 minutes.
On Tuesday morning, the team resumed their journey on a Boeing 787-8 aircraft bound for Gaborone. The flight included a brief stop in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, before completing the final stretch into Botswana. This arrival marks the completion of the full movement of the Nigerian delegation, following the departure of an advance party led by Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) secretary Israel Inwang. This advance party included sprinters Enoch Adegoke and Ezekiel Asuquo, who arrived in Gaborone on Sunday to finalize logistics ahead of the main team’s arrival.
The Nigerian team consists of four coaches, led by AFN technical director Gabriel Okon, who will oversee preparations for the competition running from May 2 to 3. Nigeria has secured a place in all six relay events at the championship, having received approval from World Athletics to enter a full program after initially qualifying in three disciplines.
This event carries added significance as it serves as a qualification pathway for both the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, raising the stakes for all participating nations. A total of 723 athletes from 40 countries are registered for the competition, including all six reigning champions from 2025 as well as medal-winning nations from the World Championships and Olympic Games.
Nigeria’s preparations were further strengthened by the arrival of sprinter Favour Ashe at the team’s Lagos camp prior to departure. This move ended uncertainty over his availability, following reports linking him with a potential switch of allegiance to Qatar. Sources within the federation confirmed to our correspondent that Ashe, whose personal best in the 100 metres stands at 9.94s, had earlier held discussions with National Sports Commission director general Bukola Olopade before rejoining the squad.
Ashe has been named in the men’s 4x100m squad alongside Adegoke, James Emmanuel, Chidera Ezeakor, and Tejiri Godwin, forming part of a strong sprint relay team expected to challenge for qualification spots. Team captain Patience Okon-George leads the women’s contingent, with Nigeria fielding squads across the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m events, as well as the mixed relays.
Chidi Okezie, who is in South Africa for the Simbine Classics, will join from Pretoria, while two athletes, Blessing Ogundiran and Rosemary Chukwuma, are expected to join the team separately from their respective bases in the United States. With final preparations set to continue upon arrival in Gaborone, Nigeria’s focus remains on delivering strong relay performances and securing qualification for the next phase of global athletics competitions.
