Enekwechi withdraws from Team Nigeria for the Accra 2026 event

Team Nigeria’s chances of securing a medal in the shot put have been seriously diminished after defending champion and national record holder Chukwuebuka Enekwechi announced his withdrawal from the 2026 African Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana.

Enekwechi had been included in the original 45‑athlete roster slated to represent Nigeria and was regarded as a leading contender for the gold medal.

The announcement was verified on Monday by Making of Champions through their official X account.

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“Another withdrawal for Nigeria — Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will not be participating at the 2026 African Championships in Ghana. Big Chuks will not be defending the title he won three consecutive times. Emmanuel Audu and Divine Oladipo will represent Nigeria in the shot put events in Accra.”

Despite his withdrawal, Enekwechi has been dominant this year, opening the season with a 20.82 m throw to win the Orlen Cup in Poland, and he has held the African Championship title across several consecutive editions.

His absence represents a major setback for Team Nigeria’s medal prospects in the men’s field events.