Olatoye has mountain to climb in search of first Olympic final ticket in the hammer throw
Nigeria hammer throw champion, Oyesade Olatoye has been given a mountain to climb in her bid to become the first Nigerian to qualify for the hammer throw event at the Olympics.
The 27 years has already made history as the first Nigerian to compete in the event since 2000 when hammer throw made its debut at the Games.
Olatoye is making her debut at the Games after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, truncated her Olympic dream three years ago in Toyo, Japan.
The error by the AFN denied Annette Nneka Echikunwoke the honour of being the first Nigerian woman to compete in the event and Olatoye now has a chance to make further history but will need to throw further than her 71.88m lifetime best to be sure of a place in the final.
World Athletics has set a 73.00m qualification standard which Olatoye should strive to achieve to fetch her a place among the best 12 athletes that will qualify for the final because as many as 13 of the competitors have thrown beyond the standard going into the competition.
Meanwhile, Echikunwoke, denied the chance of an Olympic debut by Nigeria three years ago now has a chance of making history for her country of birth, USA.
No woman from USA or Canada has ever won an Olympic medal in the hammer and this is the unwanted story Echikunwoke will strive to rewrite for the Americans.
