Enekwechi Misses Out on Diamond League Final as Fabbri Secures Last Spot in Lausanne
Nigeria’s shot put ace and African record holder, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, will not feature in the 2025 Diamond League Final in Zurich next weekend, following a decisive outcome at the final qualifying meet in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Enekwechi, 32, entered the Lausanne leg needing a standout performance to reclaim his place among the top six in the standings.
His main rival for the final slot, Leonardo Fabbri of Italy, had edged him out of sixth position the previous week in Silesia, Poland, pushing the Nigerian down to seventh.
Despite a valiant effort, Enekwechi’s throw of 21.19m on Wednesday was only good enough for seventh place, earning him two points and leaving his total at 13 points. Fabbri, meanwhile, continued his strong form, following up his 22.10m throw in Silesia with a 21.77m effort in Lausanne.
He placed second behind Joe Kovacs (22.04m) and collected seven points, bringing his total to 19 points—enough to secure the sixth and final qualifying spot for Zurich.
Only the top six athletes advance to the Diamond League Final, meaning Enekwechi’s journey ends unless one of the qualified throwers withdraws.
It’s a disappointing turn for the reigning African Games champion, who made his Diamond League Final debut last year and finished fifth with a throw of 21.29m, while Fabbri claimed victory with a 22.98m Italian record.
