July 14, (THEWILL) – Nigeria faces being stripped of its gold medal in the women’s 4×100 metres relay at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games after the suspension of athlete Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha for doping.
Nwokocha tested positive for banned substances, Ostarine and Ligandrol, resulting in her provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit. As a result, the England team, comprising Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Bianca Williams, Daryll Neita, and Ashleigh Nelson, who ran in the heat, will be promoted to first place and receive their gold medals in a special ceremony later this year.
This victory marks England’s 58th gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and allows them to retain the title they won at Gold Coast 2018. The decision also affects the medal standings for the event. The Jamaican team of Kemba Nelson, Natalliah Whyte, Remona Burchell, and Elaine Thompson-Herah will now be upgraded to the silver medal position, while the Australian quartet of Ella Connolly, Bree Masters, Jacinta Beecher, and Naa Anang, who initially missed the medal podium, will receive the bronze medal.
The upgrade for Jamaica and the addition of a bronze medal for Australia reflect the revised rankings following Nigeria’s disqualification. Asha Philip, a member of the English team, was delighted at becoming a Commonwealth Games champion from the 2022 Games.
Philip, who previously won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, was grateful for the opportunity to represent her country and praised the support of the home crowd in Birmingham. She highlighted the significance of this achievement in her career and looked forward to achieving more in the future.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
