Nigeria Disqualified After Earlier Qualifying for Men’s 4x400m Final

Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team was disqualified from the finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. They had qualified with a great performance, despite the disqualification. The team consisted of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie.

They ran a season-best time of 2:59.81 in their semifinal heat, finishing second. This put them behind France and ahead of Belgium. France had the best time, Belgium took the third spot, and Nigeria was disqualified.

This disqualification is a big setback for Nigeria’s athletics team. They had hoped to match the success of their teams from the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. In Sydney 2000, Nigeria won gold, and in Athens 2004, they got silver.

This team’s disqualification is the first time in 24 years a Nigerian 4x400m team ran under 3 minutes. Their semifinal performance showed their hard work and potential. But their disqualification is a big disappointment for fans and athletes.

The exact reason for the disqualification is not known yet. It’s a big blow to Nigeria’s track and field hopes at the Games. There will likely be more discussions about what happened.

Even with the disqualification, the team’s semifinal performance is a highlight. Their sub-3-minute run shows Nigeria’s strength in athletics. The disqualification shouldn’t overshadow their achievement and their role in Nigeria’s athletic legacy.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics go on, Nigerian athletes and fans will look forward to the next events. The 4x400m team’s semifinal performance will be remembered, even if their Olympic journey ended sadly.