African Record! Chioma Onyekwere cements her name in African athletics history

There was never any doubt about Chioma Onyekwere being the best Discus thrower in Nigerian athletics history. Now, she has cemented her name as the best to do it in Africa, with a new African Record.

At the Oklahoma Throws series on Saturday, Onyekwere threw a massive new Personal Best (PB) of 64.96m to win the women's throw Discus event.

Her mark not only shatters her National Record of 63.30m set in 2021 but also breaks the previous African Record of 64.87m recorded by South Africa's Elizna Naude in 2007.

Also, Onyekwere's record automatically surpassed the World Championship qualifying standard of 64.20m, meaning she has booked her ticket to compete in Budapest, even though she already has a wild card ticket as the African champion in the event.

The multiple African champion made her international debut for Nigeria in 2016. Since then, Onyekwere has cemented her name as the best Discus thrower on the continent and one of the best in the Shot Put throw event.

Last year, she began her Gold medal-winning season at the African Championships in Mauritius, inspiring a 1-3 finish for Nigeria in the women’s Discus final, with a distance of 58.19m to defend her title - her fourth African Championships medal since 2016.

Consequently, she had a first-time master stroke at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, becoming the first Nigerian woman in history to win a Commonwealth Gold medal in the Discus event, throwing a Season’s Best (SB) of 61.70m.

The 28-year-old made her season's debut at the Florida Relays, where she recorded an SB of 55.88m, and then competing against some of the best Discus throwers in the world, Onyekwere improved on the SB to 60.79m to finish sixth at the Triton Invitational.

Her progressive improvements confirm she's in the best shape of her life, and bettering her marks as the season progresses are great signs ahead of the World Championships in Budapest.

Onyekwere's progress in the past years is worthy of recognition. Considering her success already made this season, one that will continue, a World Championships medal in Budapest is highly possible.