UC Grad Annette Echikunwoke Wins Historic Silver

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 11

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Ohio’s own Annette Echikunwoke has reached new heights!

At only 27, Echikunwoke earned a silver medal in the women’s hammer throw at the Paris Games. With a season-best throw of 75.48 meters, she became the first American woman to medal in this event. This silver medal marks the first time an American woman has stood on the podium for the women’s hammer throw since the event debuted at the Sydney Games in 2000.

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She described this win as a complete turnaround from her Tokyo Olympics experience.

“It’s a 180 from Tokyo… It’s a 180 from where I thought I would even be in the season. I’m just so grateful.”

This was Echikunwoke’s second Olympic appearance but her first time competing. In 2021, she qualified for the Tokyo Games representing Nigeria but was disqualified due to what she called the “negligence of the federation” in organizing proper drug testing. After this setback, she changed her athletic allegiance to the United States.

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Annette Echikunwoke is proudly from Pickerington and attended Pickerington North. She also graduated from the University of Cincinnati, earning both her undergraduate and master’s degrees while competing on the track and field team. She made history by winning the weight throw at the 2017 NCAA Championship, becoming the university’s first NCAA track and field champion. In 2020, she decided to represent Nigeria, her parents’ home country, for Olympic selection.