US-based sprinters Rosemary Chukwuma and Blessing Ogundiran are on the brink of missing Nigeria’s campaign at the World Relays 2026 due to testing and travel difficulties, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The competition is scheduled to take place from May 2 to May 3 at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone.
Both athletes have been unable to link up with the Nigerian contingent ahead of the event due to circumstances beyond their control.
Chukwuma’s passport reportedly arrived late from an embassy, significantly delaying her travel plans, while Ogundiran is still awaiting the result of her SRY gene test.
The test is part of the eligibility requirements relating to biological sex verification under regulations introduced by World Athletics ahead of major global competitions.
“At the moment, both Rosemary Chukwuma and Blessing Ogundiran are out of the World Relays for Nigeria,” Christopher Maduewesi of Making of Champions posted from Gaborone on Thursday.
“Before we try to apportion blame, it was due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control — not that the athletes didn’t want to come, or that the federation didn’t try to get them here.
“For Ogundiran, her SRY sample was just collected and won’t be ready before the start of the competition.
“While for Chukwuma, her passport was returned quite late from an embassy, which made it difficult for her to travel on time. However, it seems the AFN and NSC are making efforts to still get her to Gaborone.”
With a personal best of 10.98s for Ogundiran and a season’s best of 10.95s for Chukwuma, their potential absence is a significant setback for Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m and mixed 4x100m relay teams.
In the women’s 4x100m, Nigeria will rely on Jenifer Chukwuka, Miracle Ezechukwu, Rosemary Nwankwo and Maria Omokwe.
The mixed 4x100m relay team includes Enoch Adegoke, James Emmanuel, Chidera Ezeakor and Ezechukwu.
For the men’s 4x400m, the squad comprises Ezekiel Azukwo, Gafari Badmus, Victor Ime, Samson Nathaniel, Emmanuel Ojeli and Chidi Okezie.
The women’s 4x400m team features Anita Enaruna, Patience Okon-George, Toheebat Jimoh, Taiwo Kudoro, Jecinta Lawrence and Esther Okon.
The mixed 4x400m team consists of Sekiru Adeyemi, Enaruna, Okon-George, Jimoh, Ojeli and Okezie.
