Nigeria’s hopes of winning a medal in the women’s 4×100m relay at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, ended abruptly after Lucy Nwankwo was disqualified for a false start in the final.
The Nigerian quartet had secured a place in the final and entered the medal race with genuine hopes of mounting the podium.
However, those ambitions disappeared before the race could properly get underway when Nwankwo was adjudged to have false-started, resulting in Nigeria’s disqualification.
The setback was particularly painful for Nwankwo, who has represented Nigeria in several junior relay teams and, according to reports from the team, had never previously been disqualified for a false start.
Despite the disappointment, the young sprinter will be expected to bounce back from the costly error and use the experience as part of her development.
Nigeria’s disqualification handed the initiative to the remaining finalists, with Jamaica eventually producing a dominant performance to claim gold.
The Jamaican quartet of Sashana Johnson, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Natrece East and Shanoya Douglas clocked 42.89 seconds, a world-leading U20 time for 2026.
Douglas, who anchored the Jamaican team, ended her championship on a high after an impressive individual campaign in Eugene.
Nigeria’s latest relay disappointment adds to a frustrating championship for the country’s sprinters, who have endured several setbacks during the competition.
The focus now shifts to ensuring the 4×400 Women relay race as athletes from Nigeria continues its search for medal on the track as global junior athletics ends on Sunday night.
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For Nwankwo, the false start was a painful moment, but it remains only one chapter in what could be a promising career.
