Enekwechi Achieves Fifth Place at World Indoor Championships Despite Visa Issues
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi finished fifth in shot put at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships, achieving a personal season best of 21.25 meters. He was Nigeria’s only contestant due to visa issues that prevented nine other athletes from attending. The event was won by Tom Walsh from New Zealand. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria faced criticism for this situation.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi represented Nigeria at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, finishing fifth in the shot put event. This marked Enekwechi’s best-ever placement at an international tournament, as he achieved a season’s best throw of 21.25 meters. However, this effort was insufficient to secure a spot on the podium.
The event was dominated by New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, who won the championship with a throw of 21.65 meters, marking his third world indoor title. He was followed by United States competitors Roger Steen and Adrian Piperi, who placed second and third with throws of 21.62 meters and 21.48 meters, respectively.
Enekwechi’s participation was particularly significant as he was the sole athlete representing Nigeria. Due to difficulties in securing visas and tickets, nine other athletes registered for the competition were unable to attend. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had initially listed ten athletes, but visa issues later limited their participation.
Moreover, criticism arose among Nigerian athletes, including African Games gold medallist Chidi Okezie, who expressed disappointment about being registered only for the 4x400m relays and not the individual 400m event. Okezie discovered this change while at the airport, when he was preparing for the competition.
Despite initial intentions to send a full team, the AFN contemplated not attending the championships due to the busy schedules of many Nigerian athletes involved in collegiate competitions. This ultimately led to a significant reduction in the representation of Nigeria at this major athletics meet.
In summary, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi achieved a commendable fifth-place finish for Nigeria in the shot put at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships, despite the country’s unfortunate visa issues that resulted in a significantly reduced team. The event highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian athletes, as both Enekwechi’s performance and the disappointment voiced by fellow competitors reflect broader issues within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. The lack of representation at such a prestigious event underscores the need for improved organizational support for athletes.
Original Source: punchng.com
