Nigerian women’s discus thrower Chioma Onyekwere is delighted to have made the Nigeria list for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, as per latest report.
She shared her excitement in an Instagram post on Saturday, a few hours after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria announced a list of 35 athletes to fly the country’s flag at the quadrennial event scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11 in 16 other cities spread across Metropolitan France, plus one subsite in Tahiti, an island within the French overseas country and overseas collectivity of French Polynesia.
Her excitement is understandable after finishing third at the 2024 African Senior Athletics Championships, which was recently concluded in Douala, Cameroon, throwing 57.93 to finish behind compatriots Ashley Anumba (59.30) and Obiageri Pamela Amaechi (58.80).
“I am a two-time Olympian. I have been officially selected for the Paris Olympic Games this summer. After Tokyo, I was unsure if I would continue on this journey back to the Olympics. I would not be here without my community empowering me to keep going.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the years. Your kindness and words of encouragement did not go unheard or unnoticed. We did it; God did it. I earned this, and God is not done with me yet. À bientôt Paris,” stated the two-time African champion who despite having a disappointing outing in Douala remains Nigeria’s brightest medal prospect in the event.
Onyekwere qualified for the 2020 Olympics but did not participate, being one of ten Nigerian athletes disqualified for not undergoing the required number of pre-event doping tests.
She won gold at the 2018 and 2022 editions of the African Championships, the 2019 African Games, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, making her the first Nigerian to achieve the feat in the event.
Olaitan Ibrahim