Nigerian sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi has made history by becoming the first male athlete from his country in 18 years to qualify for the World Championships 100m final.
The 20-year-old clocked an impressive 9.93 seconds to secure an automatic second-place finish in his semifinal race on Sunday at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Ajayi’s achievement harks back to the legacy of Olusoji Fasuba, who was the last Nigerian to reach the men’s 100m final at the 2007 Osaka World Championships, where he finished fourth.
Fasuba still holds the Nigerian national record of 9.85 seconds, a mark Ajayi is drawing nearer to, having set his personal best of 9.88 seconds earlier in Tokyo.
Competing in a formidable semifinal heat that included top sprinters like defending champion Noah Lyles and Olympic gold medalist Marcell Lamont Jacobs, the young Nigerian showed remarkable poise and speed.
His performance was crucial in securing his place among the world’s elite. The final will be a global showcase, featuring a diverse field of eight athletes.
Africa is notably well-represented with four finalists, including Ajayi, joined by South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Gift Leotlela, and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo.
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They will face strong competition from Americans Noah Lyles and Kenneth Bednarek, and Jamaicans Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville.
Ajayi’s journey to the final has been marked by a series of consistent sub-10-second performances this season, confirming his status as a rising star in athletics.
His qualification gives Nigeria a renewed sense of hope for a medal in the prestigious event. The men’s 100m final is set for Sunday at the Japan National Stadium, where Ajayi will vie for a podium finish.
Unfortunately, another Nigerian sprinter, Israel Okon, did not advance, finishing seventh in his own semifinal heat with a time of 10.14 seconds.
