Nigeria sets mixed 4x400m record as Usoro reaches final

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Team Nigeria set the first-ever Commonwealth Games record in the Mixed 4x400m Relay in Glasgow and Ruth Usoro qualified for the women’s long jump final on Friday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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The quartet of Edidiong Udo, Esther Joseph, Samuel Ogazi and Patience Okon-George stormed to victory in their heat and Usoro reached the final after producing a season’s best jump on her very first attempt.

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The Nigerian leaped 6.77m (+0.6) to comfortably beat the automatic qualifying standard of 6.70m, progressing into the medal round with confidence and without needing a second attempt.

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Meanwhile in the 4x400m, the Nigerian team clocked 3:14.58 to win their heat comfortably, finishing well ahead of Australia, who placed second in 3:15.21, to qualify for the final as the fastest team and overwhelming favourites for the gold medal.

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The performance made Udo, Joseph, Ogazi and Okon-George the first athletes to enter the history books as Commonwealth Games record holders in the Mixed 4x400m Relay, an event making its debut at the Games, and announced Team Nigeria’s intentions ahead of the final.

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Kola Daniel, special adviser on media at the office of the director-general of the National Sports Commission, confirmed the record in a statement, describing the run as history made on the track.

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The performance continued a strong outing for Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent in Glasgow, with the country’s medal push showing no signs of slowing down.

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