Who is Annette Echikunwoke?
Annette Nneka Echikunwoke is a Nigerian-American athlete and African record holder in the hammer throw female event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
She won a silver medal for the United States on Tuesday after switching her allegiance from Nigeria.
Born on July 29, 1996, to Nigerian parents in the US, Echikunwoke was the 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Championships national weight throw champion. She held the school record in four of five throwing events she competed in while at the University of Cincinnati.
What happened and Why did she switch allegiance from Nigeria?
Annette Echikunwoke was set to represent Nigeria at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but was disqualified along with nine other athletes after failing to undergo mandatory tests due to an error by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
Shared on her Instagram page in 2021, she wrote: “I can’t even begin to explain how heartbroken I am. It honestly feels like a fever dream. To think of all the hours of throwing sessions, hundreds of hard lifts, all the moments when my body aches in pain and reminding myself ‘it’ll be worth it’, just to keep pushing on, sacrificing time with loved ones… and all I’m left with is this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. This has been the most mentally and emotionally exhausting time of my life.
“To be clear: The [Athletics] Federation of Nigeria did not go through the processes to set up proper testing for us athletes. They left us in the dark about this whole drug testing issue until the last minute where we were left helpless. We cannot let anything like this happen again to athletes, devastating dreams and crushing opportunities.”
She then changed her allegiance to the United States to compete at Paris 2024. Now, she can call herself an Olympic medalist after winning silver in the women's hammer throw.
How did she qualify to represent the US?
In May 22, 2021, Annette Echikunwoke threw the hammer as far as 75.49 meters at the USATF Throws Festival in Tucson, USA, and the attempt set a new African record.
The Olympics website recognises Echikunwoke as a 2022 World Championships hammer throw finalist and the 2024 US Olympic Trials hammer throw winner.
