Chukwuebuka Cornell Enekwechi true to expectations reached the final of the men’s shot put at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In the group B qualifying round Enekwechi heaved 21.13m to finish in the top nine of 16 qualifiers of the event topped by Italian Leonardo Fibbri with 21.76m. The African record holder must now brace himself for the final and come up with a lifetime best performance to have the chance of making the podium in his second attempt at the Olympics.
It was not a sweet story for Nigeria in the women’s discus throw as the trio of Ashly Anumba, Chioma Onyekwere and Obiageri Pamela Ameachi missed the cut for the final.
But the major disappointment of the day was the Nigerian 4x400m mixed relay team; they narrowly missed qualification for the final, despite setting a new national record with a time of 3.11.99 seconds. The quartet of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Emmanuel Ojeli and Patience Okon-Geroge placed fourth in their heat. They were edged out by the Italian team, who finished 3.11.59 seconds. The British team won the race with a time of 3.10.61.
