Olatoye Eyes Commonwealth Games Podium After Hammer Throw Silver at Islamic Solidarity Games

Nigeria’s Sade Olatoye is targeting a podium finish at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after claiming silver in the Women’s Hammer Throw at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The U.S.-based athlete narrowly missed out on gold, finishing behind Algeria’s Zahra Tatar. Olatoye recorded a throw of 63.34 metres, just 21 centimetres short of Tatar’s winning mark of 63.55 metres, while Uzbekistan’s Norsijovona Zarinakhon took bronze with 61.69 metres.

Despite the narrow loss, Olatoye said the silver medal will motivate her to intensify her preparations for Glasgow.
“I am very happy for this competition and the exposure it has given me. This experience will definitely propel me for the Commonwealth Games, where I aim to finish on the podium after placing fourth in Birmingham 2022,” she stated. “Securing a medal here is still fantastic, even if gold slipped away.”

Olatoye acknowledged the challenges of a long season, noting that the 2024 World Championships in Tokyo was expected to mark the end of her competitive year. “Competing here during our off-season is demanding, but it’s always an honour to represent my country,” she said.

Her silver contributes to Nigeria’s growing medal tally at the Games, with the country currently seventh on the table with a total of 15 medals: six gold, five silver, and four bronze.