Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Kanyinsola Ajayi, etched his name into the history books as he stormed into the men’s 100m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Ajayi clocked an impressive 9.93 seconds to finish second in his semifinal, securing automatic qualification for the final later tonight.
His blistering run makes him the first Nigerian man in 18 years to reach the blue-riband event’s final, following in the footsteps of Olusoji Fasuba, who last achieved the feat in 2007.
The 22-year-old sprinter has been in outstanding form all season, lowering his personal best twice in the build-up to the championships. His semifinal performance underlined his growing stature among the world’s elite, with only a photo-finish separating him from the heat winner.
Drawn in the first of three semifinal heats, Ajayi faced a star-studded lineup that included defending champion Noah Lyles of the USA, Olympic gold medalist Marcell Lamont Jacobs of Italy, and South Africa’s Akani Simbine, a three-time World Championship finalist.
Holding his own against such elite company, the young Nigerian displayed composure and raw speed to punch his ticket to the final.
The men’s 100m final promises to be one of the highlights of the championships, featuring a balanced field of four Africans, two Americans, and two Jamaicans. Alongside Ajayi and Simbine, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and South Africa’s Gift Leotlela also advanced, underlining Africa’s growing presence in the blue-riband event.
The American duo of Lyles and Kenneth Bednarek and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville complete the lineup.
His semifinal time of 9.93s reinforces his status as one of the sport’s brightest young stars and offers Nigeria hope of ending its long wait for a global sprint medal.
For Nigeria, Ajayi’s breakthrough is a massive boost in the sprints, an event where the country has struggled to produce global finalists in recent years.
His qualification sparked jubilation among fans both at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium and back home, as social media buzzed with excitement at the historic achievement.
Unfortunately, the other Nigerian in the 100m semi-final, Israel Okon, couldn’t pull through, having finished 7th in 10.14s in his race.
READ ALSO FROM SPORTING TRIBUNE
Mikel Arteta's side had dropped to second place for the first time since October....
Nico Gonzalez’s stunning strike fired Manchester City into the FA Cup final...
Barcelona are now 11 points clear of their rivals with both teams having five games…
“FCT remains a hub for grassroots tennis development, with players from other states...
Isak has endured a bitterly frustrating spell since completing a British record £125m move from…
Europe’s biggest clubs are packed with elite wide attackers, yet only a select few can…
This website uses cookies.