Three Secondary School Athletes Make Nigeria’s World Relays Squad

Three Secondary School Athletes Make Nigeria’s World Relays Squad

By Niyi Busari 

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has announced a 24-member squad for the World Athletics Relays scheduled for May 2–3 in Gaborone, Botswana, with the inclusion of three secondary school students emerging as a notable highlight.

Rosemary Chukwuma, Jecinta Lawrence and Miracle Ezechukwu headline the selections, signalling the emergence of a new generation of talent within Nigeria’s senior athletics ranks.

The trio, all still in secondary school, are products of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative under the National Sports Commission. They first gained national recognition at the National Sports Festival, where they competed against more experienced athletes, before representing Nigeria at the CAA Africa U18/U20 Athletics Championships.

Their rapid development has now earned them places on one of the sport’s biggest global relay stages.

Chukwuma and Ezechukwu have been selected for the women’s 4x100m relay team and are also expected to feature in the mixed relay event, while Lawrence has been named in the women’s 4x400m squad.

Their inclusion is widely viewed as evidence of the growing impact of grassroots development programmes and a deliberate strategy to integrate emerging athletes into elite competition at an early stage.

The squad also features established names such as Enoch Adegoke, Favour Ashe, Patience Okon George and Chidi Okezie, offering a blend of experience and youthful promise.

The AFN’s selection reflects a broader commitment to long-term development, as Nigeria prepares to compete in Gaborone with a team designed not only to perform on the international stage but also to build for the future.