Nigerian athlete, Jessica Oji, etched her name history by becoming the country’s first-ever field event Gold medallist, winning the women’s shot put title with a sensational throw of 18.08, at the World U-20 Athletics Championships.
Oji produced an outstanding series of 18.05m, 18.08m, 17.95m, X, X, 18.07m, showing remarkable consistency to secure the historic victory.
Before Oji’s triumph, Nigeria had never won a field event title at the World U20 Athletics Championships. The nation had claimed only two field event medals in the competition’s history: Esther Aghatise’s silver (women’s long jump in 2002) and Chinecherem Nnamdi’s bronze (men’s javelin throw in 2021).
The victory also marks another significant milestone in what has been an impressive season for the young thrower.
Just a week after winning Silver at the Commonwealth Games, Oji returned to the global stage and upgraded that performance with a historic world U-20 gold.
She further underlining her status as one of Nigeria’s brightest field event prospects.
Her landmark achievement not only delivers a breakthrough moment for Nigerian athletics but also ends the country’s long wait for a field event champion at the World U20 Championships.
