Nigeria’s Stephen Mozia threw a huge 21.76 metres to extend his own national Shot put record set a few days ago at the 12th edition of the Athletics Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in Czech Republic on Tuesday.
Mozia, who won a bronze medal at last month’s African Senior Championships in Durban, sets the national outdoor record of 20.82m meeting record at the Andújar Athletics meeting in Spain just last weekend.
The Nigerian started the evening with a lifetime best throw of 21.27m. However, the best was yet to come. And that arrived in the fourth round with a huge 21.76m bring him within touching distance of the African record.
The African record of 21.97m is held by South Africa’s Janus Robberts since 2001. While the world record is 23.12m held by Randy Barnes of the USA since 1990.
“It’s amazing! I have no words. I knew that I’m in form and I expected it would go far, but this was absolutely incredible,” said Mozia after the competition.
“I still can not believe it. I was my first time here and the audience was amazing. When I woke up in the morning, so I knew it would be good. For me it is a big boost before the Olympics,” he added.
Selected Results – Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
Shot Put
- Mozia (Nigeria) 21.76m (national record)
- Pezer (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 19.88m
- Abramchuk (Belarus) 19.67m
- Mikos (Poland) 19.63m
- Ivanov (Bulgaria) 19 35 m
- Belo (Portugal) 19.08m
- Marcell (CR) 19.01m
- Galeta (Estonia) 18.37m
100m: Final A
- Baker 10.10 sec
- Locke (both USA) 10.17,
- Swaray (Senegal) 10.26
- Osewa (Great Britain) 10.26
Meet The Authors
Yomog Meje is a former Nigerian junior athlete and the Associate editor at Athletics Africa.
