Three-time African champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will not be able to defend his shot put title at this year’s CAA African Championships in Ghana after withdrawing from Nigeria’s squad, PUNCH Sports Extra reported.
One day prior to the start of the competition, which will take place at the University of Ghana Sports Complex from May 12 to May 17, Enekwechi’s absence was announced on Monday.
After Jessica Oji, the African women’s shot put record holder, withdrew, Nigeria now has a thin lineup in the shot put competitions.
Due to visa concerns, Jami Schlueter, the national record holder for Decathlon, is also unable to travel to Ghana with the rest of the Nigerian contingent.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, another Nigerian withdrawal, will not compete in the 2026 African Championships in Ghana. The title that Big Chuks won three times in a row will not be defended. Christopher Maduewesi of Making of Champions wrote on X on Monday that Emmanuel Audu and Divine Oladipo will compete for Nigeria in the shot put competitions in Accra.
Enekwechi recently participated in the Simbine Classic in South Africa, thus his absence is unexpected.The Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials and coaches were unavailable at the time this article was filed, so all attempts to find out why the 33-year-old will miss the competition were failed.
At the Drake Relays on April 24, he finished second with a season-best time of 21.74 meters.
Since making his debut in the 2018 African Championships in Asaba, the 33-year-old has won the last three competitions.
Enekwechi performed poorly in the men’s shot put at the World Indoor Championships earlier this season, placing 11th out of 17 competitors with a best throw of 20.04 meters.
He broke the 22-meter mark in the men’s shot put last year, making history as the first African to do it. After breaking the African record with a throw of 22.10 meters to finish third at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, he also holds seven of the top ten African all-time records.
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