Ogunleye seeking to become first German woman Shot Putter to win a Diamond League title
Last month in Paris, France, Yemisi Ogunleye became the first German woman since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996 to win an Olympic title in the Shot Put.
This Friday in Brussels, Belgium, the German, born to a Nigerian father and German mother will be seeking to make history to become the first German, man or woman, to win a Diamond League title in the event.
Ogunleye is the first German woman since Christina Schwanitz in 2019 to compete in the final of the Shot Put event at athletics’ premier one-day series.
The 25 year old hit her first 20m mark this year to become the 24th German woman to do so and threw herself to the top of the event at sports’ biggest stage, the Olympics.
Ogunleye will face familiar foes in Brussels including three of the 12 athletes who competed with her in the final of the event at the Olympics including Maddi Wesche and Song Jiayuan who finished second and third respectively in Paris and Sarah Milton, the world leader in the event who however finished 12th at the Games.
The German is only one of three athletes in the line up who have thrown 20m and above this season and the battle could be among the trio of herself (20.19m), Mitton (the world leader at 20.68m) and Jackson Chase of the USA (20.64).
History-seeking Ogunlewe will also become the first athlete with Nigerian blood also running in her veins that will be competing for a Diamond League title in the event.
If she wins, she will be awarded a prestigious “Diamond Trophy”, US$ 30’000 prize money and a wild card for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in 2025.
