- Jessica Oji finishes second in Shot Put on Nigeria debut
- Achieves 17.74m throw at Tiger Paw Invitational
- Recently switched allegiance from USA to Nigeria
- Now closer to breaking the African Shot Put record
Nigerian-American shot putter Jessica Oji has made an impressive start to her career under the Nigerian flag after finishing second at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson.
Competing in the women’s Shot Put, Oji recorded a best throw of 17.74 metres, earning a podium finish in her first official competition representing Nigeria.
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The competition marked her debut since switching sporting allegiance from the United States, and her strong performance immediately signalled her readiness to compete at the highest level for Nigeria.
Oji currently holds a Personal Best of 18.45m, a distance that places her firmly among Africa’s elite throwers and within striking range of history.
Her personal mark is two centimetres farther than the long-standing African Record of 18.43m set by former Nigerian athlete Vivian Chukwuemeka, a record that has stood for nearly two decades.
Athletics observers believe Oji’s steady improvement and consistency could see her challenge the continental record in upcoming competitions.
With major championships ahead in the season, Oji’s switch of allegiance is widely seen as a significant boost to Nigeria’s athletics programme, particularly in the field events where global success has been rare in recent years.
Her debut performance has raised expectations that she could become one of Nigeria’s leading medal prospects on the international stage.