Can Olatoye Make History and Become Nigeria’s First Women’s Hammer Throw Champion?
Oyesade Olatoye will have another opportunity to make history for Nigeria when she competes in the women’s hammer throw final at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Tuesday night.
The Nigerian finished fourth in the event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, narrowly missing out on a medal.
Four years later, she returns to the final with a chance to become the first Nigerian woman to win Commonwealth Games gold in the hammer throw.
Olatoye enters the final with a personal best of 71.88m and a season’s best of 70.46m. Her season’s best is the ninth-best mark among the 12 finalists, but her experience on the
Commonwealth stage and ability to produce big throws in major competitions could give her a chance to challenge for the podium.
Canada’s Camryn Rogers is the overwhelming favourite for gold. The reigning Commonwealth champion has a personal and season’s best of 81.13m, more than seven metres ahead of the rest of the field and well above the Games record of 74.68m.
New Zealand’s Lauren Bruce, Australia’s Stephanie Ratcliffe and England’s Charlotte Payne are among the leading contenders for the remaining medals, while Canada’s Jillian Weir and Jamaica’s Nayoka Clunis also possess personal bests above 72m.
Olatoye’s 71.88m personal best places her within striking distance of the medal contenders on her best day.
Although she will need to improve significantly on her 2026 season’s best to challenge for the podium, the Nigerian has already shown her ability to compete at this level after finishing fourth in Birmingham.
