Team Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has progressed to the men’s Shot Put final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships (WAC), which commenced on Saturday in Tokyo.
The US-born Nigerian athlete demonstrated impressive form, securing his place in the final with two notable throws measuring 20.83m.
This effort saw him finish fifth in Group A and seventh overall, marking his third consecutive appearance in a global championship final.
Enekwechi’s remarkable throw of 22.10m, set on July 5, 2025, currently stands as both the National and African record in the shot put event.
Leading the pack in the finals will be New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, who achieved a throw of 21.74m.
He is followed by American throwers Adrian Piperi (21.47m) and Ryan Crouser (21.37m).
Sweden’s Wictor Petersson secured fourth place with a throw of 21.14m, while Scotland’s Lincoln GBR and Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri completed the list of finalists, throwing 21.00m and 20.95m respectively.
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing day for Enekwechi’s compatriots, Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons and Obiageri Pamela Amaechi, who both exited the Championships early.
Amaechi was the first to be eliminated, finishing in 16th place after her best throw of 55.69m fell short of the qualifying marks.
This throw left her nearly 12 metres behind the leader, Sandra Elkasević, who achieved a throw of 66.72m. Dutch athlete Alida Van Daalen secured the final qualifying spot with a throw of 62.65m.
Following her, Onyekwere-Lyons, the national record holder, also faced early elimination.
The 31-year-old managed a throw of 59.45m in her initial attempt, while her subsequent throws failed to improve her position.
Both Onyekwere-Lyons and Amaechi’s performances were notably below their seasonal bests, with Amaechi holding a best of 64.80m and Onyekwere-Lyons holding a national record of 64.96m.
As the Championships progress, all eyes will be on Enekwechi as he aims to secure further accolades for Nigeria.k
