Discus thrower Olero eyeing global glory in busy 2023/24 season

Talented para-thrower Sylvia Olero has shifted her focus to the World Para Athletics Championships and the Paris Paralympics 2024 after finishing eighth in the just-concluded Commonwealth Games.

Olero who prides herself as an all-round sports woman having played sitting volleyball, competed in rowing, canoeing, swimming before finding her new love for discus throwing competed in class F44 in para-category in Birmingham.

Talented Olero eyeing discuss medal in Birmingham

Heading to the Club Games ranked fifth in the world, Olero had her eyes set on a medal but could only manage a 26.35, a personal best attained on her fifth attempt but it was only good enough for 8th. The event was won by Nigeria’s Goodness Chiemerie in a world record distance of 36.56.

“I had challenges on the throwing pot as I lacked the proper shoes. Without that, my throws were wobbly as I tried to steady myself not to slip and fall. However, I cannot dwell on that unsatisfactory as it is.

I am now going back to the drawing board and, working on where I went wrong with my focus being to qualify for the 2023 and 2024 competitions and bring medals home,” said the bubbly Olero.

The World Para Athletics Championships, known as the IPC Athletics World Championships prior to 2017, are a biennial Paralympic athletics event organized by World Para Athletics, a subcommittee of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Paris will host the next edition, for the first time, from 8 to 17 July 2023. Paris is also set to host the 2024 Paralympics between 28 August and 8 September.

Olero was lucky to be part of the GAPS programme which she says has helped her get better in her craft and she continues to benefit form their support. GAPS is a sport for development and peace programme that supports the development of inclusive sport pathways throughout the Commonwealth.

GAPS is for emerging athletes and coaches from the Commonwealth. It aims to support the development of inclusive sport pathways, removing barriers to participation for people with disability and for women and girls to become actively involved in sport.