Nigerian shot put star Chukwuebuka Enekwechi wrote his name into the history books at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic on Sunday.
Thanks to his outstanding performance in the event, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has become the first African to surpass the 22-metre barrier with a staggering throw of 22.10m.
The performance, which placed Enekwechi third in one of the most competitive shot put fields ever assembled, also set a new African record and further solidified his legacy as the continent’s most successful thrower.
An emotional Enekwechi, 32, spoke to DyeStat shortly after the event, shedding light on the preparation, sacrifice, and mental focus that led to the historic throw.
“I came here last year and threw 21.91 metres,” he said. “I just wanted to throw 22 metres this time. That’s the new standard. I figured I have a couple of years left in my career, so I wanted to hit that mark. I got it. 22 metres. Wow.”
He confirmed that the mark came on his second attempt: “The second one. I nailed it on my second attempt.”
Despite hitting the target early, Enekwechi kept his composure through the rest of the series, relying on a fixed strategy.
“I just stuck to the game plan. I’ve made changes recently, like modifying my diet, dropping a bit of weight, and increasing my protein intake,” he revealed. “I’ve also been doing some intense lifts, including jump squats with over 500 pounds. I’m just trying to compete with the bigger guys and it worked out.”
Describing the record-breaking effort, Enekwechi called it a perfect moment of athletic execution.
“That throw, everything came together. My form was in perfect balance. I released it smoothly and didn’t even have to fight to stay inside the ring. It all just clicked. Honestly, it felt great, probably my favourite throw ever.”
His 22.10m throw now leads the African all-time list, with seven of the continent’s ten best distances credited to him. Former record holder Janus Robberts of South Africa (21.97m in 2001), Nigeria’s Stephen Mozia (21.76m in 2016), and Egypt’s Mostafa Amr Hassan (21.65m in 2023) are the only other Africans to feature in the elite bracket.
The Prefontaine Classic, staged at the historic Hayward Field as the ninth stop of the Diamond League, lived up to its billing, with five athletes surpassing the 22m mark.
Two-time world champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. claimed top spot with a world-leading 22.48m, ahead of Roger Steen (22.11m) and Enekwechi (22.10m). Adrian Piperi (22.09m) and Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell (22.04m) rounded out the top five.
The meet recorded a staggering 98,121 points, officially making it the highest-ranked single-day Invitational/Open event in track and field history.
The post Nigeria’s Shot Put Star, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Makes History appeared first on Naija News.