Reigning African Games and African Athletics champion, Chioma Onyekwere made history as the first Nigerian woman to win the Discus Throw gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Making her debut at the games, Chioma Onyekewere, 28, threw 61.70m in her fourth attempt to snatch the lead from Britain’s Jade Lally, who led from the start of the competition with her opening throw of 57.33m.
According to reports from Vanguard, Chioma Onyekwere opened her game with 55.82m, but it wasn’t enough if she was to win, so in the second round, she tried again but responded without success, landing a throw of 56.42m. She fouled in her third throw before swinging the discus to a personal season’s best mark of 61.70m.
Her compatriot Obiageri Amaechi won the bronze medal with her 56.99m throw in the fifth round.
This is the first time the discus throw gold medal would be won by any Nigerian lady in the history of the Commonwealth Games. Adewale Olukoju is the only male to have ever won the gold at Auckland 1990 Games.
“It’s amazing. It’s our first Commonwealth,” Chioma Onyekwere told BBC Sport Africa, “So it’s amazing to come out for our first commonwealth and both get on the podium and represent Nigeria well, and get seasons best and close to season best. So it’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great testimony to our season.”
