Can Enekwechi perform a miracle in Brussels at 2024 Diamond League final?
Nigeria has more churches than factories and believe in God more than those who brought Christianity and Islam to the country.
Nigerians believe in the efficacy of prayers, and many are praying that African Shot Put king, Chukwuebuka Enekechi will get lifted above his more experienced and better competitors at the Diamond League final on Saturday.
Can an underdog who has never hit the 22m mark (holds a lifetime best of 21.91m) suddenly throw above two athletes who have thrown above 23m in their career and three others who are consistent 22m throwers?
This will be the setting at the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels as Nigeria’s lone representative in the 2024 Wanda Diamond League final, Enekwechi carries the hope of a nation, a nation that believes in miracles.
To athletics afficionados, the 31-year-old Nigerian stands no chance of even a top three finish but to miracle loving Nigerians, nothing is impossible before God!
For the miracle to happen, Enekwechi must not only make history as the first Nigerian to hit the 22m, he must also be ready to hit at least the 22.93m mark reigning Olympic champion, Ryan Crouser threw just five days ago.
That is the farthest mark post Olympics, and it may be the mark to beat in Brussels.
Enekwechi is seeking to become the first Nigerian field eventer to win a Diamond League title and second overall after Tobi Amusan to do so.
He is the third Nigerian field eventer to make the final of athletics’ premier one day series after Tosin Oke (triple jump in 2015 and 2016) and Ese Brume (long jump in 2023).
Overall, he is going to be the fifth Nigerian after Amusan, Blessing Okagbare, Oke and Brume to compete in the final of the money-spinning event where the winner will not only be crowned as Diamond League champion and presented a Diamond League trophy, but also a $30,000 top prize money and a wild card to compete at the 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in 2025.
