Paris Olympics: Team Nigeria disqualified from men’s 4x400m relay final
Nigeria’s hopes of advancing to the final in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics have been dashed following disqualification.
The Nigerian team, consisting of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie, finished heat 2 with a Season’s Best time of 2 minutes 59.81 seconds.
However, they were disqualified after it was determined that one of the runners crossed lanes, causing an obstruction that tripped a South African competitor.
The disqualification means that the spot initially won by Nigeria has been awarded to South Africa.
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The French team won the heat in 2 minutes 59.53 seconds, while Belgium secured the third automatic qualifying spot with a time of 2 minutes 59.84 seconds.
This disqualification is a significant blow for Team Nigeria, which was aiming to replicate the success of previous teams that won bronze in 1984, gold in 2000, and bronze in 2004.
The incident has been a disappointment for athletes and fans alike, as the team was expected to perform strongly in the relay event.
