Paris 2024 Olympics: Echikunwoke throws herself into hammer throw final, seeks historic medal for USA

Former Nigeria hammer throw champion and reigning African record holder, Annette Nneka Echikunwoke is into her first Olympics hammer throw final after emerging as one of only two of the 16 competitors in her qualifying group (A) to get past the 73m qualification standard set by World Athletics.

The 28-year-old threw a distance of 73.52m to place second in the group behind Canadian, Camryn Rogers who threw 74.69m.

Echikunwoke, who, until June 20, 2022 was eligible to represent Nigeria after switching allegiance from the USA in December 2020, switched back her allegiance to her country of birth and her switch was granted on June 22, 2021 following her disqualification from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria failed to conduct three out of competition tests on 10 Nigerian athletes who qualified to compete at the Games.

Nigeria’s loss is looking to be USA’s gain as Echikunwoke is bidding to make history as the first American to win a hammer throw medal in Olympic Games history.