Oji wins historic gold medal at World U-20 Athletics Champs
Jessica Oji has clinched Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal at the ongoing 2026 World U-20 Athletics Championship taking place in the city of Oregon in the USA.
She secured the historic title in the early hours of Friday at Hayward Field in Oregon, USA, with a commanding throw of 18.08 metres in the women’s shot put final.
The 19-year-old Nigerian athlete clinched the gold medal after winning the women’s shot put title with a sensational series throw of 18.05m, 18.08m, 17.95m and 18.07m.
Read Also: Oji qualifies for Shot Put final at World Athletics U20 Champs
Oji emerged tops beating Belsy Jenniffer Quiñonez of Ecuador who claimed the silver medal with a throw of 17.90m, while Emily Scherf of Germany took home the bronze
This historic victory marks Nigeria’s first-ever world title in a field event at any level and also follows Oji’s recent silver medal win for Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The country’s previous field event medals at this level were Esther Aghatise’s long jump silver in 2002 and Chinecherem Nnamdi’s javelin bronze in 2022.
