Jessica Oji
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Nigeria |
| Citizenship | Nigerian |
| Born | 23 June 2007 |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Shotput |
Jessica Oji (born 23 June 2007) is a Nigerian-American women's shot put athlete.[1] In February 2026, World Athletics confirmed that she had switched her allegiance to Nigeria.[2]
Oji first broke the Ivy League record in December 2025 with a mark of 17.72 m (58 ft 1.75 in), before going on to break it four more times at the Penn Elite Meet in a mark of 18.45m (60' 6.5").[3][4] She currently has a personal best of 18.50 m, which she used to clinch the conference title.[5]
Early life and education
Oji was born and raised in the United States. She is currently a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.[6][7]
Career
She made her debut for Nigeria in 2026 and broke the long-standing African record of 18.43 m set by former Nigerian thrower Vivian Chukwuemeka in 2003.[8] The record placed her second in the NCAA rankings[9] and also above Mine de Klerk African mark of 18.48m set just a day earlier.[10][11] In the current world rankings, Oji is ranked No. 40 in women's shot put.[1] Officially, the mark did not count as an African or Nigerian record, as it was achieved before her transfer of allegiance.[12][13]
In 2025,[14] Oji was crowned the USA U-20 Champion and placed sixth in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in the shot put.[12]
References
- ^ a b "Jessica OJI | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ "World Athletics Confirms Jessica Orji's Switch from USA to Nigeria Amid Athlete Exodus - Sportsnow.com.ng". 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ "Oji Turns Penn Elite Into Record-Breaking Showcase". University of Pennsylvania Athletics. 2026-01-24. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ PositiveNaija (2026-03-22). "Jessica Oji Sets New Nigerian And African Record In Women's Shot Put Event At 2026 Ivy League Conference Championships". PositiveNaija. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ Ogunbayo, Abiodun (2026-03-02). "Jessica Oji Smashes Nigerian & African Shot Put Record at Ivy League Championships". Sports247 Nigeria. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ THEWILL, Jude Obafemi (2026-03-02). "Oji, 18, Resets African Shot Put Record". The Will. Nigeria. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ "Jessica Oji - PA Track and Field Bio". Athletic.net. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2026-02-17). "U.S.-based Oji makes impressive Nigerian debut". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ Lambert, Jim (2025-02-23). "Jessica Oji Has Committed To The University of Pennsylvania". nj.milesplit.com. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ REFINEDNG (2026-02-17). "Oji Opens Nigerian Career with Podium Finish and U-20 Record". refinedng.com. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ "18-year-old Jessica Oji set new shot put record - Blueprint Newspapers Limited". 2026-03-03. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ a b "18-Year-Old Jessica Oji Breaks Nigerian U-20 Shot Put Record on International Debut". Dairly Observer / Trusted news from Nigeria and beyond. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ admin (2026-02-16). "Nigerian Athletes Shine at U.S. Collegiate Meets: Jessica Oji, Esther Joseph, and Prestina Ochonogor Lead Record-Breaking Weekend". Awijare News. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ Abe, Olamide (2026-03-03). "Teen star Oji breaks African shot put record". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-03-31.