Nwachukwu revels in record-breaking Commonwealth gold

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Goodness Nwachukwu says she feels “on top of the world” after producing a world record-breaking throw to retain her Commonwealth Games discus title in Glasgow, describing the achievement as one of the greatest moments of her career, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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“I feel like I am on top of the world. I feel so great,” the Nigerian para-athlete said after her victory. “I was just shouting.” She also expressed gratitude to her supporters back home, adding, “I love you all and I can’t wait to see you. Love you.”

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Nwachukwu revealed that the triumph almost slipped away after she struggled with her opening throws despite enjoying an impressive warm-up. “I was wondering what was happening because my warm-up was so good,” she said. “My coach kept telling me to calm down, and even one of the athletes from Kenya encouraged me to relax.”

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The reigning champion said her coach’s final words before her last attempt proved decisive. “Before the last throw, my coach said, ‘Now you can explode. Attack.’ That was when the record came,” she recalled.

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Nwachukwu sealed victory with a stunning final throw of 39.66m in the women’s F42-44/F61-64 discus event, smashing her own F42 world record by more than three metres and securing Nigeria’s seventh gold medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The victory also earned the 27-year-old a second consecutive Commonwealth title after her success in Birmingham in 2022.

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The record-breaking performance further underlined Nwachukwu’s status as one of the world’s leading para-athletes and provided another memorable moment in Nigeria’s impressive campaign in Glasgow.

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