Chinwe Okoro (born 20 June 1989) is a Nigerian track and field athlete who competes in the shot put and the discus throw. She is a three-time African champion and holds the Nigerian record for the discus throw at .

Career Okoro grew up in Kentucky, attending high school in Russell, and holds dual Nigerian-American citizenship. She attended the University of Louisville and combined athletics and academics as a student-athlete. She won the American junior title in the shot put in 2008 and was an NCAA All-American in 2011. Her high marks in her physical therapy studies made her a five-time Big East Conference All-Academic, and she later won the Michael Hale Scholarship to continue with her studies via a doctorate at Bellarmine University.Physical therapy student Chinwe Okoro takes the discus gold in Nigerian Nationals. Bellarmine Magazine (Fall 2014). Retrieved on 2016-02-27. Former Standout Chinwe Okoro Took Gold in the Discus at the 2014 African Athletics Championships. Louisville Cardinals (2014-08-26). Retrieved on 2016-02-27.

Her first international competition came at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics, where she finished tenth in the shot put.Chinwe Okoro. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-02-27. Her first senior medals followed at the 2012 African Championships in Athletics, where she won the discus throw and was runner-up to Vivian Chukwuemeka in the shot put in a Nigerian medal sweep. Chukwuemeka was later disqualified for doping, however, elevating Okoro to double throws champion at the event.IAAF Awards Retrieved Gold To Okoro. The Tide (2013-03-15). Retrieved on 2016-02-27.Burundian teen Niyonsaba takes dramatic 800m title as Nigeria top medal table in Porto-Novo – African champs, Day 5. IAAF (2012-07-02). Retrieved on 2016-02-27.Milama wins first-ever sprint title for Gabon – African champs, Day 2. IAAF (2012-06-29). Retrieved on 2016-02-27.

Okoro missed the 2013 season but returned improved the year after and successfully defended her discus title at the 2014 African Championships in Athletics with a championship record and personal best throw of . She was again runner-up in the shot put, with Cameroon's Auriol Dongmo being the women's champion on that occasion.Mulkeen, Jon (2014-08-12). Redemption for Makwala at African Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-02-27.Mulkeen, Jon (2014-08-14). Souleiman, Ndiku and Ahoure among winners on final day of African Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-02-27. She represented Africa in both throws events at the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup, held a month later at the same venue in Marrakesh, and was sixth in shot put and seventh in discus.

Okoro qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with a throw of 61.58. She represented Nigeria in the discus throw and finished 14th out of 34.

Personal bests Shot put: (2012) Discus throw: (2016)

International competitions 2008World Junior ChampionshipsBydgoszcz, Poland10thShot put15.18 m2012African ChampionshipsPorto-Novo, Benin1stShot put16.21 m1stDiscus throw56.60 m2014African ChampionshipsMarrakesh, Morocco2ndShot put16.40 m1stDiscus throw59.79 m IAAF Continental CupMarrakesh, Morocco6thShot put16.35 m7thDiscus throw52.30 m2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil14th (q)Discus throw58.85 m2018African ChampionshipsAsaba, Nigeria2ndDiscus throw57.37 m

References

External links

Interview with Athletics Africa