CHIOMA ONYEKWERE MAKES HISTORY WINS GOLD IN COMMONWEALTH GAMES DISCUSS THROW
Africa’s reigning Africa Championships and African Games champion, Chioma Onyekwere has won gold in Discus Throw event at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The Nigerian star’s gold puts her in the history book as first Nigeria woman to win Commonwealth gold in discus throw. Her throw of 61.70m was her fourth attempt to take the lead from home girl Jade Lally who was impressive from the start of the competition with an opening throw of 57.33m.
Chioma who was born in America had opened her throw with 55.82m, obviously far from her African championships throw of 58.19m, which she clinched the African Championship crown prior to the Commonwealth Games two months back.
She reacted powering 56.42m in the second round, but missed the third with a fouled attempt. But realising the urgency to better her efforts she came back ‘positively angered’ before swinging to beat the breeze with a throw of 61.70m. The 28 year-old Nigerian had surpassed her current throw at the Commonwealth with an earlier 63.50m at the Chula Vista (CVEATC) in California, last year, her personal best prior to the championship in Birmingham.
With Chioma’s sterling performance, she joins Adewale Olukoju’s 62.62m in Commonwealth Games history list as second Nigerian to win gold in Commonwealth Games Discuss Throw. Olukoju achieved his feat in Auckland in 1990.
Nigeria’s Obiageri Amaechi claimed the bronze medal with a 56.99m throw behind the England Discuss Throw star who won the silver.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria has increased their medal standing with additional medals won so far. In women’s weightlifting, Nigeria’s Mary Osijo claimed bronze in the 87kg category. She lifted 102kg in the snatch and 123kg in clean & Jerk for a combined weight of 225kg.
With Team Nigeria’s performance, it takes Nigeria to eight medals and pundits predict with the medal haul, more will be won as the country takes to track in the men and women’s 100m semi-final, the men’s high jump and the women’s shot put final.