U-20 world champ: Oji’s shot put golden throw excites Nigerians in Oregon
By Uzor Odigbo
Team Nigeria experienced a day of triumph and disappointment on the second day of the 2026 World U-20 Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, as Jessica Oji produced a championship-winning performance while several other athletes fell short of advancing.
The undisputed highlight of the day came in the women’s shot put, where 19-year-old Jessica Oji delivered a sensational throw of 18.08m to win the gold medal, improving on the 17.56m she recorded in qualification.
The victory earned Nigeria its first gold medal of the championships and underlined Oji’s growing reputation following her silver-medal performance at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Nigeria also celebrated progress in the men’s triple jump as Precious Opinion booked a place in the final with a best leap of 16.02m, finishing fourth in his qualification group. His qualification keeps the country’s medal hopes alive in the event.
On the track, however, it was a difficult outing for the quarter-milers. Jecinta Lawrence clocked 53.97 seconds in the heats before running 54.86 seconds, finishing 24th overall and missing out on a semifinal berth.
Faith Ezechukwu also failed to advance after posting 54.38 seconds and 54.68 seconds, placing 19th overall.
The disappointment continued in the men’s 400 metres, where David Udoh was disqualified from his heat, ending his campaign prematurely.
Despite the setbacks on the track, Oji’s historic gold medal ensured Nigeria ended the day on a positive note. Her victory has boosted Team Nigeria’s confidence as the championships continue, while Precious Opinion now carries the nation’s hopes into the men’s triple jump final.
With one gold medal already secured and more athletes still in action, Nigeria will be looking to build on Oji’s success in the remaining days of competition at Hayward Field.
