Chinecherem Nnamdi sets new Nigeria Javelin record, makes African Games history

Nnamdi Chinecherem used the biggest Athletics stage in Africa to rewrite Nigeria’s Javelin throw record of 82.80m. The distance was an improvement on the 81.22 record he set in May 2022.

The mark is not just a national record but it also threw him into history books as the first Nigerian since 1995 to strike gold in the event and the the fourth Nigerian winner of the event after Anthony Oyakhire (1965), Christian Okwfula (1991) and Pius Bazighe (1995).

Read Also: African Games 2023: Nigeria wins eight gold medals in boxing

In the women’s 200m, Olajide Olayinka ran the race of her life to snatch the silver medal from Congo’s Ngoye Akamabi. The Nigerian ran 23.18 to win her second sprint medal behind The Gambia’s Gina Bass who ran 23.13 to successfully complete a sprint double. In the men’s version, Consider Ekanem finally won an individual in his African Games debut, finishing third in 20.80 behind the duo of Ghana’s J. Amoah (20.74) and Cameroon’s Claude Emmanuel (20.70). In the women’s Shot, Oyesade Olatoye failed to reclaim the gold she lost by default five years ago as her 16.61m effort was not enough to upstage South Africa’s Erasmus Ashley who threw 16.98m to win.