Nigerian athletes blame jet lag for World U-20 performance
Nigerian athletes at the World U-20 Athletics Championships in Oregon blame jet lag and late arrival for disappointing performances. Read More: https://punchng.com/nigerian-athletes-blame-jet-lag-for-world-u-20-performance/
Nigerian athletes have attributed their underwhelming performances at the 2026 World U-20 Athletics Championships to jet lag and their late arrival in the United States, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. The mixed 4x400m team, composed of Jecinta Lawrence, Faith Ezechukwu, David Udoh, and Perfect Faye, finished sixth in their heat and failed to advance to the finals.
This marks a disappointing contrast to their success in the inaugural mixed 4x400m title won in Nairobi in 2021. The current team's late departure and arrival in the USA were cited as factors affecting their performance. Ezechukwu acknowledged the stressful journey but expressed hope to improve in her individual event. Tejiri Godwin, one of the few qualifiers on the opening day, also struggled, reaching the semi-finals of the men's 100m but failing to advance.
Other notable underperformers included Rosemary Nwankwo and Success Oyibu, who were eliminated in the women's 100m heats. Nigeria is participating with 15 athletes in Oregon, a mix of 10 females and five males.
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