WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue track & field alumnus Chukwuebuka Enekwechi finished in sixth place at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the shot put on Saturday, August 3, in Paris.
At his second Olympic Games, Enekwechi's best mark on Saturday evening was 21.42 meters, which he achieved on his second of six attempts. Enekwechi entered the Olympics ranked No. 8 in the world in the shot put and represents Nigeria.
Enekwechi was one of 12 competitors to advance to today's final after a mark of 21.13m in Friday's qualification round. He was ninth overall yesterday before he finished sixth on Saturday at the Stade de France.
A Boilermaker from 2013-16, Enekwechi bested his performance from Tokyo 2020, where he was 12th at his debut Olympics with a mark of 19.74m. All three of Enekwechi's legal marks on Saturday in Paris topped his throws from Tokyo, both in distance and in overall placement.
Along with qualifying for the Olympic final on Friday, Enekwechi and fellow Purdue Olympian Devynne Charlton were announced as two of eight Boilermaker greats that will be inducted into the Leroy Keyes Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame.
Enekwechi is joined in Paris by Charlton, who will race in the 100m hurdles beginning on Wednesday, August 7. Incoming Purdue senior Joel Gomez qualified for the Paralympic Games and will run in the 1,500m T13 from September 2-3.
Enekwechi hails from Laurelton, New York, and he secured his spot at the 2024 Paris Games by winning his fourth consecutive Nigerian Athletics Championships in the shot put on June 16 in Benin City, Nigeria.
In his Purdue career, Enekwechi was a 13-time All-American and five-time NCAA medalist. He is the school record-holder in the shot put (20.37m) and hammer throw (72.77m) outdoors and shot put (19.95m) and weight throw (24.39m) indoors. Enekwechi's NCAA medals include two silvers in 2016, in the shot put outdoors and weight throw indoors. He won 12 Big Ten medals, including four golds, and was a three-time Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
At his second Olympic Games, Enekwechi's best mark on Saturday evening was 21.42 meters, which he achieved on his second of six attempts. Enekwechi entered the Olympics ranked No. 8 in the world in the shot put and represents Nigeria.
Enekwechi was one of 12 competitors to advance to today's final after a mark of 21.13m in Friday's qualification round. He was ninth overall yesterday before he finished sixth on Saturday at the Stade de France.
A Boilermaker from 2013-16, Enekwechi bested his performance from Tokyo 2020, where he was 12th at his debut Olympics with a mark of 19.74m. All three of Enekwechi's legal marks on Saturday in Paris topped his throws from Tokyo, both in distance and in overall placement.
Along with qualifying for the Olympic final on Friday, Enekwechi and fellow Purdue Olympian Devynne Charlton were announced as two of eight Boilermaker greats that will be inducted into the Leroy Keyes Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame.
Enekwechi is joined in Paris by Charlton, who will race in the 100m hurdles beginning on Wednesday, August 7. Incoming Purdue senior Joel Gomez qualified for the Paralympic Games and will run in the 1,500m T13 from September 2-3.
Enekwechi hails from Laurelton, New York, and he secured his spot at the 2024 Paris Games by winning his fourth consecutive Nigerian Athletics Championships in the shot put on June 16 in Benin City, Nigeria.
In his Purdue career, Enekwechi was a 13-time All-American and five-time NCAA medalist. He is the school record-holder in the shot put (20.37m) and hammer throw (72.77m) outdoors and shot put (19.95m) and weight throw (24.39m) indoors. Enekwechi's NCAA medals include two silvers in 2016, in the shot put outdoors and weight throw indoors. He won 12 Big Ten medals, including four golds, and was a three-time Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.