By Uzor Odigbo
Nigeria’s Shot Put prodigy Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has qualified for final in the men’s shot put despite throwing 21.13m, 22cm outside the 21.35 automatic qualification mark set for the event.
He qualified as the ninth best out of 32 competitors and will return on Saturday to attempt a shot at history in the final.
Three years ago, the 31 year old finished 12th in the final but will hope for much more after throwing close to 22m (21.99m) this year and knows a throw well above 22.00m will be needed to make history.
In the women’s Discus throw, reigning Commonwealth Games champion, Chioma Onyekwere and African Games queen, Pamela Obiageri Amaechi have also ended their journey into the Paris 2024 Olympics at the first hurdle.
They also neither hit the 64m qualification mark set for the event by World Athletics nor ended among the top 12 best in the qualifiers.
Both throwers however finished bottom of the group with Onyekwere the only who managed to at least hit the 60m mark with her 60.78m effort. Amaechi produced the lowest mark of the event with her 45.45m throw and deservedly finished the 32nd best out of 32 competitors.
Anumba, ranked 14th out of 16 competitors in her group was ranked 29th best while Onyekwere finished 21st in the final classification.
World Athletics had predicted the three Nigerians will not be among the contenders for the medals in its preview of the event and the prediction has come true.
Nigeria will now be hoping she can produce her first finalist in the event in Los Angeles in 2028 when the Olympic train returns to the USA after 32 years.