Annette Echikunwoke is from Pickerington North in Ohio, born on the 29th of July 1996 in America to Nigerian parents. She attended the University of Cincinnati where she completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees.
While in university she started displaying her passion for athletics. Furthermore, she won the weight throw event at the 2017 NCAA championship, becoming the university’s first NCAA champion in track and field.
Annette visited Nigeria for the first time in 2021. She competed in the Nigerian Olympics trials and held both the Nigerian and American records in the hammer throw with a mark of 75.49 meters.
However, she faced a major setback when she was disqualified from the 2020 Summer Olympics; Annette and nine other athletes were disqualified from the games for missing mandatory tests due to an error by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
The AFN neglected to set up drug tests for the athletes; the AFN, however, said that many of its athletes based in the U.S. did not keep them updated on their location. Despite protesting in Tokyo with other affected athletes, Annette was unable to compete.
Annette Making History
Following the disappointment with the Nigerian system, she changed allegiance to the U.S. and competed at Paris 2024, where she achieved her historic silver medal.
Her name has gone down in history as the first American woman to win a medal in the Olympic Hammer Throw.
Her story highlights the Nigerian Athletics Federation’s failure to prioritize the welfare of its athletes, leading to a missed opportunity for both Annette and Nigeria. Despite the setback, the American hammer thrower didn’t lose heart; instead, she pressed on and secured second place while competing for the U.S.
“Always chase your dreams, for they will remain just dreams until you take action.”
