Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has launched his 2026 athletics season in commanding fashion, winning the men’s shot put at the Orlen Cup in Łódź, Poland, with a throw of 20.82m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting.

The African record holder delivered a composed and authoritative performance to finish clear of the field, beating Romania’s Andrei Toader, who settled for second place with 20.55m. Serbia’s Armin Sinančević completed the podium with a best throw of 19.93m.

Competing in front of a home crowd, Poland’s Szymon Mazur emerged as the highest-placed local athlete in fourth position with 19.69m, while Italy’s Nick Ponzio rounded out the top five on 19.58m. The rest of the field included Piotr Goździewicz, Jakub Korejba, Wojciech Marok, Damian Rodziak, and Ukraine’s Maksym Lebediuk.

Enekwechi’s winning mark gave him a comfortable margin and reaffirmed his status as one of the world’s leading shot putters, setting an early benchmark for the new campaign in a competition that has traditionally marked the start of his season.

The victory also represented a milestone at the Orlen Cup, where he has been a regular presence. It was his third consecutive appearance and third straight season opener at the meeting, following runner-up finishes in 2024 with 21.14m and in 2025 with 20.88m. This time, consistency translated into success as he finally claimed top spot in Łódź.

A two-time African champion, Enekwechi is also a silver medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a two-time African Games champion, having secured titles in 2019 and 2023. His performance in Poland continues a career trajectory that has firmly established him as Nigeria’s foremost exponent in the event and one of Africa’s most dependable performers on the global stage.

With the 2026 season now underway, Enekwechi’s Orlen Cup triumph provides a strong platform as he builds momentum toward major continental and international championships later in the year.