WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Track & Field saw four current and three former Boilers participate in their respective country’s national competitions between June 17-22.
Former Boilermaker Chukwuebuka Enekwechi led the group with the Nigerian title in the shot put, while a quartet of Boilers took runner-up finishes in their respective events. Victory Achakpoekri (Nigeria), Britannia Johnson (Jamaica), Britannie Johnson (Jamaica) and Caliyah Wallace (Trinidad & Tobago) were four current Boilermakers to compete, while Praise Aniamaka (Canada) and Devynne Charlton (Bahamas) were the other two former Boilers with Enekwechi. Current Boiler Marissa Palmer (Jamaica) was also scheduled to run but missed the meet due to injury.
Enekwechi took home his fifth national title in the shot put after he launched his second-furthest throw of the season (21.64m). His best throw of the season came on April 24 at the Drake Relays in Iowa where he threw 21.74m and currently sits seventh in the world.
Charlton competed at the Bahamian Championships in the 110mH and took a runner-up finish after she ran 13.21. Despite her five-meet national winning streak coming to an end, Charlton still ranks third in the world this season after she ran 12.37 on May 23 in Diamond League competition in China.
Achakpoekri, fresh off First Team All-American honors in the 4x400m, finished as the Nigerian runner-up in the 400m after he ran 45.91 in the finals. He won his semifinals heat in 46.16 to qualify for the finals. His performance in the finals was his third time sub-46 since his Purdue debut on March 27 in Florida. He never broke 46 prior to becoming a Boilermaker.
Britannia Johnson competed in two events at the Jamaican Championships and headlined her meet with a runner-up finish in the hammer throw (52.70). She added a fifth-place finish in the discus (52.43m) just one place behind her twin sister.
Britannie Johnson, just one week after she earned Honorable Mention All-American in the shot put, followed up with a third-place finish at the Jamaican Championships (15.55m). She also narrowly topped her sister in the discus after she placed fourth (52.69m).
Wallace, who redshirted the outdoor season, finished as the Trinidad & Tobago 400m runner-up in 53.62. The time was a personal best and Wallace's first time breaking 54 seconds. She redshirt the 2026 outdoor season so she can participate in the full 2026-27 season on her final year of eligibility.
Aniamaka, in his first post-graduate meet, finished fifth at the Canadian Championships in the triple jump (15.82m). In his final season as a Boilermaker, Aniamaka took eighth in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and helped propel Purdue to a 23rd-place tie nationally. It was just the Boilers second time since 1972 finishing top 25.
Both current and former Boilermakers will continue to compete in various meets throughout the summer as multiple prepare for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary (Sept. 11-13).
