Akintola rates Nigeria’s chances of winning 4x100m relay medal high

(Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

Chukwuma blames her 100m failure on late take off
United States-based Nigerian sprinter, Alaba Akintola, is sure the country will make a podium finish in the men’s 4x100m relay, which will begin tomorrow at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Akintola will begin his campaign in the 200m event today and if he scales the preliminary round, he will feature in the 200m final on Friday before joining the country’s 4x100m relay team on Saturday.

At the last edition of the World Championships in Oregon, U.S., Akintola qualified to represent Nigeria, but he couldn’t make the party.

“At Oregon, I had already bought my ticket and was about to depart Tennessee for Oregon, only to be told to stay back. That was because I could not complete the three mandatory tests before the championships.

“Now, my target is to improve on my Personal Best, qualify for the final in the 200m and book my ticket for Paris 2024 Olympics Games. If I get to the final in the 200m, anything can happen,” he stated.

In June this year, at the National Trials in Benin City, Edo State, the former Middle Tennessee sprinter won his second consecutive national title in the men’s 200m to prove himself as a force to reckon with in Nigerian athletics. He won the title with an impressive time of 20.67secs.

He will join Usheoritse Itsekiri, who won the men’s 100m title in Benin City, Ashe Favour and Seye Ogunlewe in the relay battle.

The absence of Godson Brume and Udodi Onwuzurike notwithstanding, Akintola says the 4x100m relay team is still formidable.

The team is also without Adekalu Nicholas Fakorede, who could not get his visa to Budapest when he was drafted in as replacement for Godson Brume.

“We are working as a team,