IAAF World Relays: Teams battle for $1.4m

A total prize purse of $1.4m will be paid by the IAAF for the men’s and women’s races at the inaugural IAAF World Relays in Nassau, The Bahamas, on May 24-25.

The IAAF said the first team will go home with $50,000 and the second-placed team will get $30,000.

Third-placed team will have $20,000; fourth $12,000; fifth $10,000 and sixth will get $8,000. The seventh and eighth-placed teams will get $6,000 and $4,000 respectively.

The world athletics body also said any team that breaks a world record in Nassau will be awarded a $50,000 bonus.

It added, however, that the payment of all prize money is dependent upon athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

Team Nigeria preparing for the event is currently bedevilled with injuries as some of the top athletes have yet to be fit.

Top sprinter Obinna Metu, Bukola Abogunloko, Josephine Ehigie and Ada Benjamin are nursing injuries. Rita Ossai and Chukwudike Harry are also on the medics table.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria is, however, optimistic that the contingent will put up a good show at the event which is holding at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau.

Quarter-miler, Patience Okon and winner of the men’s 400m at the last AFN Golden League, Omeiza Akerele, have joined the rest of the team in the USA.

The IAAF Relays have attracted teams from more than 40 nations comprising more than 500 athletes who form the best relay quartets on the planet.