At the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Sunday afternoon, the Nigeria women’s 4x100m relay team of Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Grace Nwokocha created history by becoming the first women’s relay team to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Nigeria women’s 4x100m Relay Team quartet accomplished this feat in record-setting manner, running a time of 42.10 seconds to shatter the African record of 42.22 seconds that they had just recently achieved at the World Athletics championships in Oregon, in the United States of America.
Amusan, the record holder for the 100-meter hurdles as well as the world champion, began the historic run with a brilliant first leg. He then passed the baton on to Ofili, who ensured that Nigeria maintained their lead before passing it on to Chukwuma, who competed in the individual 100-meter final. Chukwuma was the winner of the race.
Chukwuma executed the bend in a flawless manner and then passed the baton to Nwokocha, who is currently the reigning queen of the Nigerian 100-meter dash.
The 21-year-old Nwokocha maintained the lead despite the challenge posed by Darly Neita, the anchor leg runner for Great Britain, in order to deliver Nigeria’s first ever women’s relay gold medal home.
The men’s team of Udodi Onwuzurike, Favour Ashe, Alaba Akintola, and Raymond Ekevwo also won the bronze medal, adding their name to the annals of athletic achievement.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay team hasn’t won a medal in the competition since 1982.
