Nigeria’s shot put powerhouse, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, delivered a strong statement on the European indoor circuit after recording a season-best throw of 21.28 metres to secure third place at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting in Serbia on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old produced a consistent series, also registering throws of 20.93m and 21.12m both season bests as he continued to underline his status as one of the world’s leading shot putters.

Victory in Belgrade went to American Roger Steen, who topped the field with a world-leading mark of 22.07m, while compatriot Jordan Geist finished second with a throw of 21.51m.

Enekwechi remains Africa’s most accomplished shot put athlete and a trailblazer for the continent. He etched his name into history in July 2025 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, becoming the first African to break the 22-metre barrier with a massive 22.10m effort. He currently owns seven of the top ten African all-time marks in the men’s shot put, continually pushing the limits for African throwers on the global stage.

Nigeria also made its presence felt on the track in Belgrade, with Chidi Okezie finishing second in the men’s 400 metres short track. Okezie clocked 47.11 seconds, marking his third race of the season after earlier runner-up finishes in Stockholm (46.93s) and Luxembourg (46.62s).

The 400m race was won by Belgium’s Alexander Doom in 46.84s, while Portugal’s João Coelho claimed third place in 47.34s.

The Belgrade outing further reflects Nigeria’s growing footprint in European indoor competitions, with sprinters Enoch Adegoke and Fola Olaoye set to continue the momentum when they compete at the Erfurt Indoor Meeting on Friday.