After failing to meet the qualification standard for Tokyo 2025 World Championships during the National Trials in Lagos, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is gathering athletes for another mission in Accra, Ghana. This is after the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams finished far from the qualification standard.

At Yaba College, the AFN could not raise a team for the women to compete in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays owing to low turnout of foreign-based athletes. The absence of Tima Godbless, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Ella Onojuvwevwo caused the AFN a major havoc in Lagos.

In the men’s 4x400m relay, Nigeria paraded three teams, A, B and C against visiting Team Ghana. Nigeria’s Team A, which had the likes of Gafari Badmus and Chidi Okezie, managed to finish in 3:03:66sec ahead of the Ghanaian team, which finished in 3:09:70. Nigeria needed to run faster than 2:59.16sec to qualify for Tokyo 2025 World Championships.

In the men’s 4x100m relay, Nigeria paraded Team A and B, but also failed to go near the qualification standard. While Team A finished in 40.08sec, Team B ran 40.64ses, while Team Ghana had 41.09s. To qualify for Tokyo, Nigeria needs to run faster than 37.87s.

With the opportunity scuttled in Lagos, the AFN is now running against time in search of qualification tickets for the relay teams, with its focus on the CAA Region II Senior Athletics Championships holding in Accra, Ghana, between August 13 and 17.

The Guardian, however, learnt, on Friday, that the AFN is facing two major problems ahead of the trip to Accra: Paucity of funds and top athletes for the relay battles in Accra. A source hinted that the top athletes AFN was banking on turned the invitation down.

Nigeria has never won a medal at a World Championships held in Japan, both Tokyo 1991 and Osaka 2007. Now, with Japan hosting the 20th edition, stakeholders are eager to see Team Nigeria rewrite history this September.On Friday, no official of the AFN was ready to speak on availability of athletes for the trip to Accra.