Nigerian shot put star Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will not feature at the 2026 African Athletics Championships in Ghana, ending his bid to retain the title he has dominated in recent years.
The 33-year-old was withdrawn from Team Nigeria ahead of the competition, which begins Tuesday at the University of Ghana Sports Complex in Accra and runs until May 17.
His absence leaves Nigeria with fewer options in the shot put events, especially with women’s African record holder Jessica Oji also missing from the squad.
Decathlon national record holder Jami Schlueter is another notable absentee after visa issues prevented him from joining the Nigerian delegation.
The update was shared by Making of Champions’ Christopher Maduewesi on X, who stated that Enekwechi would not compete in Accra, while Emmanuel Audu and Divine Oladipo will represent Nigeria in the shot put events.
His withdrawal comes unexpectedly after he recently competed at the Simbine Classic in South Africa, suggesting he had been preparing for the championships.
Efforts to confirm the reason behind his absence were unsuccessful, as officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria could not be reached for comment.
Enekwechi has remained a dominant force in African shot put since his first appearance at the 2018 championships in Asaba, winning every edition since then.
This season, his best throw of 21.74m earned him second place at the Drake Relays in April.
He also made history in 2025 by becoming the first African to surpass 22 metres in men’s shot put, setting a continental record of 22.10m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
The feat further strengthened his legacy, with seven of the 10 best throws in African shot put history credited to him.
