I’m just getting started, Anyanacho on back-to-back medals

Nigeria’s Elizabeth Anyanacho has declared that she is just getting started after winning a bronze medal in the women’s under 70kg taekwondo event at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.

The 26-year-old, who recently ended a 20-year medal drought for Nigeria by winning bronze at the World Championship in China, added another medal to her growing collection as Team Nigeria intensified its push for more podium finishes in the final week of competition.

When asked how she feels about her journey, which seems to be heading towards legendary status, Anyanacho said, “I’m just getting started. It’s the grace of God that helps me to consistently win medals.”

Anyanacho, who entered the tournament as one of Nigeria’s brightest medal prospects, opened her campaign with a commanding quarterfinal win over Iainne Taju at the Malaz Combat Hall, securing a 2–0 victory to advance to the last four.

The Africa number one continued her strong form as she targeted a place in the final, but her gold medal ambitions were halted in the semi-finals, where she fell 2–1 to Iran’s Yalda Valinejad after a closely contested bout on Court 1.

The narrow defeat pushed her into the bronze medal bracket, where she produced a composed performance to defeat Sara Jallab 2–0 and grab Nigeria’s fourth bronze of the Games.

Uzbekistan’s Ozoda Sobirjonova won the gold medal after beating Valinejad 2–1 in the final, whilst Turkey’s Sila Gençer won the other bronze with a 2–0 victory over Dunya Saber.

The result adds to Nigeria’s growing medal haul as the country looks to build on its early success in Riyadh. With track and field beginning on Monday and para sports set to follow, officials expect Nigeria’s medal count to rise. Athletics offers 43 gold medals, and Nigeria’s contingent of home and foreign-based athletes is tipped to make a strong impression at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City.

Born on April 9, 1999, Anyanacho has spent her career breaking barriers. She won bronze at the 2019 African Games and stunned the continent at the Nigeria Open in Abuja. She became the first Nigerian woman to qualify for the Olympics in Taekwondo in 16 years at the 2020 Games, following in the footsteps of Princess Dudu. She followed this up with an African Games gold in Ghana in 2024.