Osakue makes discus final at European Championships
BERLIN (AP) — Only days after being injured in an apparent racist attack, Italian athlete Daisy Osakue reached the women's discus final at the European Athletics Championships.
The 22-year-old Osakue, who was born in Italy to Nigerian immigrant parents, finished third in her qualifying round on Thursday with a throw of 58.73 meters. She will next compete for a medal in Saturday's final at the Olympic Stadium.
"It is the cherry on the cake that I needed to forget what happened," Osakue said. "It's great. I felt good. For me, making the final is a dream."
Osakue was wounded in the eye on Monday when an egg was hurled at her in one of a series of attacks being investigated as possible acts of racism since Italy's anti-migrant government took power.
The discus thrower, who is also a sprinter and hurdler, said she saw a car speeding toward her while she was in a crosswalk in Turin and dashed to the sidewalk to avoid it. She recalled feeling something strike her eye and falling forward. She initially feared it was acid.
"I'm sorry to say it, but I think we're dealing with racism," Osakue said after emerging from a clinic with a bandage over her left eye.
The incident put her participation at the championships in doubt because eggshell fragments injured her cornea.
Osakue, who studies and trains in Texas, was forced to miss two days of training before she was given the go-ahead to compete after a check-up on Wednesday.
