In her first ever competition on Nigerian soil, thrower Ashley Anumba, representing Rivers State, announced her arrival by stunning a competitive field to win the women’s Discus throw with a new Sports Festival Record on Day 3 of Athletics in Asaba.
The 23-year-old threw a new Personal Best of 59.06m to win the women’s Discus title, surpassing Vivian Chukwuemeka’s 16-year old Festival Record of 50.74m set in Ijebu Ode and erasing her own former lifetime best of 57.53m set in April. Anumba’s only outing for Nigeria was at the 2019 African Games in Morocco where she finished 4th.
Reigning Commonwealth Games Champion Chioma Onyekwere clinched the Silver medal while Obiageri Amaechi who won Bronze in Mauritius and Birmingham, settled for 3rd place.
In her first National Sports Festival (NSF) and first Shot Put outing in 2022, Sade Olatoye made a winning return to the event, throwing a mark of 16.15m to win GOLD for Delta State. In almost two years, Olatoye has only competed once in women’s Shot Put.
Temitope Adeshina (Rivers State) retained her NSF title from last year, claiming the GOLD medal in women’s High Jump after scaling a height of 1.80m.
