Lawrence Okoye is a sporting phenomenon who made history by signing a professional contract with NFL franchise, the San Francisco 49ers, just months after representing Team GB in the discus at the London 2012 Olympics. Lawrence, who boasts the British discus record and the longest throw ever by a teenager among his vast array of achievements, has a story more befitting a Hollywood movie hero than a modest young man from Croydon.
He began training full-time in the discus in September 2010 at the age of nineteen and before long he was competing on the senior circuit. He was soon ranked fifth in the world with the national record of 68.24 metres to his name. This culminated with Lawrence making the final of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
His transition to NFL came almost by accident after attending a Regional NFL Combine while warm weather discus training in the States. So impressive were his stats that despite never having played a ‘down’, he was invited to the highly competitive Super Regional Combine in Texas, an opportunity to trial amongst the elite of USA sporting talent. After wowing scouts from all the major franchises, Lawrence’s dream of padding up for an NFL team turned into a reality in April 2013, when he officially signed for the Niners. After 2 seasons, Lawrence left the club and was delighted to join the Arizona Cardinals. In 2015, he was unveiled as an offensive lineman for the New York Jets.
Lawrence is a motivated young man who is very articulate and media friendly. Away from the field Lawrence has a deferred place at Oxford University to read Law. He is a role model to the younger generation and would be an ideal brand ambassador. This next chapter of Lawrence’s already exciting sporting career is attracting global media interest and his 6ft 6 inch and 23 stone frame make him one of the most instantly recognisable athletes in British sport.