August 03, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Chioma Onyekwere, the defending champion at the African Games and African Championships, kept her finest performance for the year’s final major competition, becoming the first Nigerian woman to win gold in the discus throw at the Commonwealth Games.
In her fourth attempt, the 28-year-old threw 61.70 metres, overtaking home girl Jade Lally, who had held the lead from the competition’s opening throw of 57.33m. Onyekwere started with a 55.82m throw not knowing she would need more than the 58.19m she threw to win the gold medal at the African Championships held in Mauritius last June.
She attempted a better throw unsuccessfully in the second round with a distance of 56.42m, fouled the third attempt, and then swung the discus to a personal season’s best mark for the win at 61.70m, which is her second-best career throw after the 63.30m personal best she threw at the CVEATC, Chula Vista in California, USA, last year.
Obiageri Amaechi, the defending champion from Nigeria, won the bronze medal with a throw of 56.99 metres in the fifth round, thereby cementing Team Nigeria’s legacy by producing two medalists in the Discus Throw competition for the first time.
After Adewale Olukoju, Onyekwere is now the second Nigerian to ever win the Discus Throw title for Nigeria in the history of the competition. THEWILL recalls that Olukoju won in 1990’s Auckland Games with a throw of 62.62m.
About the Author
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.
