Loaded field of Nigerian athletes storm Canada for Vancouver meet

Chioma Onyekwere, Edose Ibadin, and Ashley Anumba

Loaded field of Nigerian athletes storm Canada for Vancouver meet

Funmilayo Fameso 15:00 - 13.07.2023

Preview of Nigerian athletes competing this weekend in Canada.

Nigeria's best female throwers and men's 800m record holder will compete at the Harry Jerome Track Classic in Vancouver, Canada on Friday.

Top on the list is African Record (AR) holder in the women's Discus, Chioma Onyekwere, who will aim to regain her early season form by throwing a back-to-form distance as she continues preparations for the World Championships in Budapest.

Onyekwere swings Discus to African Record
Chioma Onyekwere

However, she will have newly crowned Nigerian champion Ashley Anumba to contend with as she's currently in her best career form.

Ashley Anumba during one of her throws in Benin

Anumba threw an impressive Personal Best (PB) of 61.98m to win the Nigerian title in Benin, ahead of Onyekwere.

With the NCAA silver medallist still chasing the Budapest qualifying standard of 64.20m, Anumba will set her goal on improving her PB to improve her position on the world's top list.

Also listed to compete in the event is Amaechi Obiageri, making it a hat-trick of Nigerian throwers in the event.

Obiageri finished third at the Nigerian trials with a Season's Best (SB) performance of 55.53m and will hope she can throw a new PB in the 60m range in Vancouver.

Chioma Onyekwere and Obiageri Amaechi were first and third respectively at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Finally, African and Nigerian champion in the women's hammer throw, Sade Olatoye has a chance to improve her SB of 69.33m by gunning for the 70m mark.

Meanwhile, Edose Ibadin is listed in the men's 800m, where he will be targeting lowering his SB of 1:45.49 clocked last month for a Budapest qualifying standard of 1:44.70.

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