Nigeria’s taekwondo star Elizabeth Anyanacho continued her rise on the international stage by winning a bronze medal in the women’s under-70kg event at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.
The 26-year-old recently ended Nigeria’s 20-year drought at the World Championships in China, and she has now added another medal as Team Nigeria pushes for more podium finishes in the final week of the Games.
“I’m Just Getting Started” — Anyanacho
Speaking after her win, Anyanacho said her journey is far from over.
“I’m just getting started. It’s the grace of God that helps me to consistently win medals.”
Dominant Start, Narrow Semifinal Loss
Anyanacho began the competition strongly, defeating Iainne Taju 2–0 in the quarterfinals at the Malaz Combat Hall.
She fought hard in the semifinals but lost a close 2–1 contest to Iran’s Yalda Valinejad.
Bronze Secured With Confident Finish
Dropped into the bronze-medal match, Anyanacho stayed composed and beat Sara Jallab 2–0 to secure Nigeria’s fourth bronze medal of the Games.
Uzbekistan’s Ozoda Sobirjonova won gold after edging Valinejad 2–1 in the final. Turkey’s Sila Gençer took the second bronze.
Nigeria Eyes More Medals
Nigeria’s overall medal count continues to grow with athletics and para-sports set to begin. With 43 gold medals available in athletics, officials expect more strong performances from Team Nigeria.
A Career of Breaking Barriers
Born on April 9, 1999, Anyanacho has consistently blazed trails for Nigeria. Her achievements include:
• Bronze at the 2019 African Games
• Nigeria Open champion
• First Nigerian woman in 16 years to qualify for Olympic taekwondo (Tokyo 2020)
• Gold at the 2024 African Games
• Bronze at the 2024 World Championships
Her latest medal adds to her growing legacy — and with her confidence and form, Nigeria expects even bigger achievements ahead.
