Onyekwere, Amaechi win gold, bronze medals for Nigeria at Commonwealth Games

Nigerian athletes, Chioma Onyekwere and Obiageri Amaechi, on Tuesday, won gold and bronze medals, respectively, in  discus at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Onyekwere, 28, reigning African Games and African Championships champion, threw 61.70m in her fourth attempt to take the lead from Jade Lally, the English athlete who led from the start of the competition with her opening throw of 57.33m.

The Nigerian who opened with 55.82m knew she needed more than the 58.19m she threw to win the African Championships gold last June in Mauritius.

She responded without success in the second round with a 56.42m effort, fouled the third attempt before swinging the discus to a personal season’s best mark of 61.70m, her second best career mark after the 63.30m personal best she threw last year at the CVEATC, Chula Vista in California, USA.

Team Nigeria made further history by producing two medallists in the Discus Throw event for the first time with reigning Nigerian champion, Amaechi, winning the bronze medal with her 56.99m fifth round effort.

All focus will now shift to the men and women 100m semifinal on Wednesday, the men’s high jump and the women’s shot put final.

 

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