Annette Echikunwoke, who was originally set to represent Nigeria at the 2020 Olympics before being disqualified due to administrative errors by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, has now achieved Olympic success under the United States flag.
Echikunwoke won a silver medal in the women’s hammer throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
After her final throw, Echikunwoke confidently exited the hammer cage, waving to the enthusiastic crowd at Stade de France. She had secured her position as the Olympic silver medalist in Paris.
As she left the wait area and moved towards the stadium’s corner, she spotted Ashley Kovacs, the wife and coach of shot put silver medalist Joe Kovacs, holding an American flag. Echikunwoke took the flag and draped it over her shoulders, keeping it there for the rest of the evening.
Reflecting on her journey, Echikunwoke expressed a bittersweet sentiment about her disqualification three years ago, which had denied her the chance to compete for Nigeria. “I’m happy it’s happening now,” she said. “Everything happens for a reason, even if it’s bad or good or ugly. But this is beautiful.”
Echikunwoke’s Olympic journey took a significant turn in 2020 when she and nine other Nigerian athletes were disqualified from competing due to missed mandatory tests, a mistake attributed to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. This unfortunate event led her to change her allegiance to the United States in her quest for Olympic glory.
Had she been able to compete in Tokyo, Echikunwoke believes she would have reached the podium donning Nigeria’s green and white. However, she now celebrates her triumph wearing the stars and stripes of the United States.