Chukwuebuka Enekwechi etched his name into the history books at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday, delivering a stunning performance that saw him become the first African athlete to surpass the 22-metre mark in men’s shot put.
With a massive throw of 22.10 metres, Enekwechi not only finished third in the event but also broke the African record, solidifying his status as one of the continent’s most dominant throwers.
“It’s the highest result score of my career,” the 32-year-old said, reflecting on his performance that earned him a personal best of 1246 points. With this feat, Enekwechi now owns seven of Africa’s top ten all-time shot put distances, an achievement that underscores his consistent excellence in the discipline.
Saturday’s meet, which served as the ninth leg of the 2025 Diamond League, featured what has now been confirmed as the most competitive shot put event in history. For the first time ever, five athletes in a single competition threw beyond 22 metres.
American thrower Joe Kovacs took the win with 22.48 metres, just edging out Roger Steen’s 22.11 metres, while Enekwechi’s record-breaking effort secured third. Adrian Piperi (22.09m) and Rajindra Campbell (22.04m) followed closely, completing a historic lineup of power and precision.
Beyond the shot put spectacle, Nigeria had more reasons to celebrate at what became the highest-scoring single-day athletics meet ever recorded—racking up 98,121 points overall.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, reigning African champion Tobi Amusan finished second with a time of 12.38 seconds, narrowly beaten by Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent who clocked 12.32 seconds. Amusan’s performance, however, continues to reflect her consistent world-class form.
Sprinter Rosemary Chukwuma impressed in the women’s 100m Invitational, finishing fourth with a time of 11.09 seconds. Meanwhile, Favour Ofili, who competed in the main 100m race, secured fifth place as Nigeria’s female sprinters demonstrated competitive strength on the global stage.
Debutant Ezekiel Nathaniel also made his mark in the men’s 400m hurdles, claiming third place with a time of 47.88 seconds—a commendable showing for his first Diamond League appearance.
The day was not short on global milestones. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet shattered the women’s 5000m world record, stopping the clock at 13:58.06, while her compatriot Faith Kipyegon reclaimed her world record in the 1500m with an astonishing 3:48.68. These performances helped seal the event’s place in athletics history as not only thrilling but also groundbreaking in its scale and quality.
What You Should Know
- Chukwuebuka Enekwechi broke the African men’s shot put record with a 22.10m throw, finishing third at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic on July 5.
- The meet, the highest-scoring in history with 98,121 points, saw five men exceed 22m in shot put, led by Joe Kovacs (22.48m), according to World Athletics.
- Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (2nd, 100m hurdles), Rosemary Chukwuma (4th, 100m Invitational), Favour Ofili (5th, 100m), and Ezekiel Nathaniel (3rd, 400m hurdles) shone.
- Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet (5000m, 13:58.06) and Faith Kipyegon (1500m, 3:48.68) set world records, elevating the meet’s global impact.
- Enekwechi’s feat, lauded on X by @AthleticsAfrica, aligns with Nigeria’s sporting and political momentum, like the Super Falcons’ win and opposition coalition moves.
