Enekwechi reconfirms Olympics slot, sets new 21.78m season’s best in Los Angeles

Reigning African Games Shot Put champion, Chukwuebuka Enekechi reconfirmed his Olympic qualification on Saturday in Los Angeles with a 21.78m personal season’s best to place third at the USATF LA Grand Prix held at the University of California’s Drake stadium.

The mark was the Nigerian’s second best ever and just two centimetres short of his 21.80m lifetime best set and Nigeria record set in Luxembourg in August 2019.

American, Joe Kovacs, the 2015 and 2019 world champion and silver medalist at the Olympics in 2016 and 2021 won the event with 22.93m, the only athlete to hit the 22m mark.

Another American, Roger Steen was second while Enekwechi came third ahead of another ‘Nigeria’, Josh Awotunde whothrew 21.39m.

Enekwechi will now head to the Prefontain Classic in Oregon on May 25 to make his return to the Diamond League arena after making his debut in athletics’ premiere one day series.