Echikunwoke: ‘I think I could have won this medal for Nigeria three years ago’
African hammer thrower record holder, Nigerian-American, Annette Nneka Echikunwoke says she could have won an Olympic hammer throw medal for Nigeria three years ago in Tokyo, Japan.
The 28 years old was not allowed realize her dreams in the green and white colors of Nigeria after she and nine others, including Favour Ofili, were sent home from the Games in Tokyo.
This was because Nigeria was (still is) among a handful of countries deemed ‘high risk’ by the Athletics Integrity Unity in the lead-up to the Tokyo Games which means for any athlete to qualify to compete at the Games and the World Athletics Championships, he or she must have been subjected to three out of competition doping tests prior to the competition.
Echikunwoke was among the 10 athletes from Nigeria who did not meet the requirement and so was not allowed to participate.
The 28-year-old had switched allegiance from her country of birth, USA, to her parents’ country in December 2020 but she had to apply again to World Athletics to her switch back to USA and her application was granted in June 2022, just in time for her to compete at the USA Trials and made her World Athletics Championship debut in Oregon that year.
‘I think (this medal) could have happened three years ago, but I’m happy it’s happening now. I feel like everything happens for a reason, even if it’s bad or good or ugly or whatever the case may be. This is beautiful,’ the Nigerian American told Associated Press.
Echikunwoke has now made history as the first American woman to win a medal in the hammer throw event at the Olympics in 24 years.
‘It doesn’t feel real right now. I can’t really put it into words,’ said the history maker who was almost winning the gold medal.
Canada’s Camryn Rogers won the gold with 76.97m with her fifth throw of the competition to supplant Echikunwoke who had moved into the lead with her third round throw of 75.48m.
Rogers had led from the start with her first round throw of 74.11m with Azerbaijan’s Hanna Skydan second with 73.27m.
Echikunwoke was fourth (73.11m) at that stage, behind three time Olympic and four time world champion, Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland (73.17).
China’s Jie Zhao then moved top of the competition with her 74.27m effort in the second round with Echikunwoke dropping to fifth before responding in the third round with her second career best throw of 75.48m, one centimeter outside of the Nigerian and African record of 75.49m she set in May 2021.
