WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue track & field alumnus Chukwuebuka Enekwechi qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the shot put at the Nigerian Olympic Trials on Saturday morning in Lagos, Nigeria.
Enekwechi won the shot put with a season-best throw of 21.47 meters at the Yabatech Sports Center. He is the first current or former Purdue track & field athlete to officially punch their ticket to the Olympic Games.
Currently a volunteer assistant coach with the Boilermakers, Enekwechi was a 12-time All-American, five-time NCAA medalist and four-time Big Ten champion at Purdue. He owns four school records, including the shot put at 20.37m. While representing Nigeria, Enekwechi has competed at four World Championships and won the 2016 Nigerian national championship in the shot put.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, freshman Marcellus Moore raced in the 100-meters. He placed 17th overall in 10.14w seconds. The mark was just 0.01 seconds shy of qualifying for the semifinals and would be No. 3 in program history if Moore's personal-best 10.12 weren't already second-fastest. Moore entered the meet seeded No. 32 overall in the event before the 17th-place finish at Hayward Field.
Enekwechi and Moore are two of seven current and former Purdue track & field athletes that are competing at their respective country's Olympic Trials from June 19-28. Moore and alumna Kara Winger will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, while senior Samson Colebrooke, junior Tamar Greene and Purdue alums Devynne Charlton and Kinard Rolle will participate in the Bahamas Olympic Trials.
Details on how to follow along as each Boilermaker competes for a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Enekwechi won the shot put with a season-best throw of 21.47 meters at the Yabatech Sports Center. He is the first current or former Purdue track & field athlete to officially punch their ticket to the Olympic Games.
Currently a volunteer assistant coach with the Boilermakers, Enekwechi was a 12-time All-American, five-time NCAA medalist and four-time Big Ten champion at Purdue. He owns four school records, including the shot put at 20.37m. While representing Nigeria, Enekwechi has competed at four World Championships and won the 2016 Nigerian national championship in the shot put.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi 🇳🇬 has punched his ticket to the #TokyoOlympics! He wins the shot put at the Nigerian Olympic Trials with a throw of 21.47m.
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) June 19, 2021
📰➡️ https://t.co/PsbBcqKk4i#BoilerUp 🚂 #TrackFieldTrials21 pic.twitter.com/NkdFogdHUk
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, freshman Marcellus Moore raced in the 100-meters. He placed 17th overall in 10.14w seconds. The mark was just 0.01 seconds shy of qualifying for the semifinals and would be No. 3 in program history if Moore's personal-best 10.12 weren't already second-fastest. Moore entered the meet seeded No. 32 overall in the event before the 17th-place finish at Hayward Field.
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Enekwechi and Moore are two of seven current and former Purdue track & field athletes that are competing at their respective country's Olympic Trials from June 19-28. Moore and alumna Kara Winger will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, while senior Samson Colebrooke, junior Tamar Greene and Purdue alums Devynne Charlton and Kinard Rolle will participate in the Bahamas Olympic Trials.
Details on how to follow along as each Boilermaker competes for a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.