Jessica Orji Breaks 23-Year Old Nigerian Shot Put Record
Jessica Orji has shattered Nigeria’s long-standing women’s Shot Put record, surpassing Vivian Chukwuemeka’s mark of 18.43m set in 2003.
Competing at the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships 2026, Orji launched the shot to 18.50m on her very first attempt, establishing both a new Nigerian and African indoor record.
Orji’s allegiance switch from the United States to Nigeria was officially confirmed by World Athletics on February 3, 2026.
This confirmation allowed her performance to be recognized under Nigerian records. Prior to this, she had thrown 18.45m at the Penn Elite meet in Philadelphia on January 24, but that mark could not be ratified as a national record due to her pending transfer of allegiance.
Her opening throw proved decisive, as it was the only mark in the competition to cross the 18m barrier. None of her subsequent five attempts matched the record-breaking distance, but the first effort was enough to secure victory and rewrite history.
Vivian Chukwuemeka’s record had stood unchallenged for 23 years, dating back to her performance at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California. Orji’s achievement not only ends that era but also signals a new chapter for Nigerian athletics, with her performance setting a continental benchmark.
