Ashley Anumba, a third-year student at the University of Virginia School of Law, is set to represent Nigeria at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Anumba, who holds dual citizenship in Nigeria and the U.S., has shown exceptional prowess in track and field, particularly in the discus event.
Competing on the Cavaliers track and field team from 2021 to 2023, Anumba has set a Virginia discus record multiple times.
She first broke the record with her initial throw of the 2023 season and has since surpassed it four more times, achieving a personal best of 59.37 meters at North Carolina State’s Raleigh Relays in 2023.
Her top overall throw, however, was recorded at the Nigerian Championships in July 2023, with an impressive distance of 61.98 meters.
Anumba shared her excitement and gratitude on Instagram on July 7, following her first-place finish at the African Athletics Championships on June 21 with a 59.30-meter throw.
“If anyone knows the [sacrifices] that I have made this season and throughout my athletics career, they will know that God is real.
“This journey of mine has not been straightforward, but I am exactly where I need to be. The job is not finished, but man am I proud of myself,” she wrote.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Anumba has garnered academic honours, including being named a second-team All-American in 2022 and earning All-ACC honours in discus and shot put. She was also named to the 2022-23 ACC Honor Roll.
Anumba completed her NCAA eligibility last year and took a year off from law school to focus on her training for the 2023-24 season.
Anumba’s decision to represent Nigeria stems from her dual citizenship and the opportunity to connect with her heritage.
Born in California to immigrant parents, Anumba had the option to declare her national sports affiliation while attending the University of Pennsylvania. She chose Nigeria due to her ancestry and the competitive nature of qualifying for the U.S. team.
In 2019, while at Penn, she was ranked No. 4 in the world for discus in the under-20 division and has held the university’s distance record since 2018. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health and society.
Reflecting on balancing law school and athletics, she noted in 2021, “Even though I’m a little nervous about how all this will go, I know it will benefit me.
“In undergrad, I don’t know how successful I would have been if I didn’t have sports. Participating in athletics kept me focused and forced me to manage my time well.”
