Chioma Onyekwere of Nigeria breaks 16-year African record in Athletics

With some amazing performances from some of the Nigerian superstars, the 2023 athletics season is already looking promising.

Chioma Onyekwere put on an incredible display at the Oklahoma Throws Series in Ramona, California, winning the women's discus throw with a huge personal best (PB) of 64.96 metres.

Breaking records

Along with winning the competition, Chioma Onyekwere's enormous throw also shattered the 16-year-old African record held by South African Elizna Naudé.

Although she already has a wildcard to Budapest due to her standing as the African champion, it is as satisfying to note that Chioma reached and exceeded the World Championship qualification requirement with her most recent achievement.

This season, Chioma Onyekwere's trajectory has been steadily higher; her first throw, two weeks ago, was 55.88m, and this weekend, she improved to 60.79m. Her new personal best beats her old record of 63.30m by more than 1.5 metres.

After having one of her greatest years in 2022, when she became the first Nigerian woman to ever win gold at the Commonwealth Games and the African Championships in Mauritius, there is hope that 2023 would be even better for the athlete and engineer who is located in America.