Three-time African champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will not defend his title at the 2026 CAA African Championships in Ghana after withdrawing from Nigeria’s contingent ahead of the competition.
His absence was confirmed on Monday, just a day before the championship begins at the University of Ghana Sports Complex, where the event is scheduled to run from May 12 to 17.
Enekwechi’s withdrawal significantly weakens Nigeria’s presence in the shot put category, especially following the absence of women’s African shot put record holder Jessica Oji.
The situation is further compounded by the unavailability of Jami Schlueter, Nigeria’s decathlon national record holder, who is unable to join the team due to visa issues.
Confirming the development, sports analyst Christopher Maduewesi revealed that Enekwechi would not feature at the competition, leaving Emmanuel Audu and Divine Oladipo to represent the country in the shot put events in Accra.
The withdrawal comes as a surprise, given Enekwechi’s recent appearance at the Simbine Classic in South Africa. Efforts to confirm the reason for his absence were unsuccessful, as officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria could not be reached.
The 33-year-old had shown solid form earlier in the season, recording a season’s best of 21.74m to finish second at the Drake Relays on April 24.
Enekwechi has dominated the African Championships in recent years, winning the last three editions since his debut in 2018. His absence now leaves a significant gap in Nigeria’s medal prospects in the field events.
Earlier this year, he placed 11th at the World Indoor Championships with a best throw of 20.04m.
In 2025, he made history by becoming the first African to surpass the 22-metre mark in men’s shot put, setting a continental record of 22.10m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
With Enekwechi out, attention now shifts to the remaining Nigerian athletes, who face the challenge of maintaining the country’s competitive edge at the continental event.
Credit: ThePunch
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