World Indoor Championships: Ajayi, Sunday confirm automatic tickets

Reigning Nigeria speed king, Kanyinsola Ajayi and U20 star, Israel Okon Sunday have punched their tickets to next month’s World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

They have replaced the duo of Caleb Joshua and Consider Ekanem (also out for a different reason) who had earlier qualified through the top list of performances so far this year following their incredible 6.57 run in only their first season running indoors.

Ajayi and Okon have, however, sped past the automatic qualifying standard of 6.55 following their showings last weekend in Clemson, South Carolina.

Ajayi ran 6.51 while Okon ran 6.52, both times catapulting them to fourth and fifth respectively in the Nigerian all-time list.

There are still as many as eight other Nigerians who have qualified for the biennial championships, either through the top list or by the automatic entry standard.

They are Tima Godbless and Success Umukoro in the women’s 60m, Nathaniel Ezekiel and Edidiong Okon Udo (400m men), Chukwuebuka Enekwesi (Shot Put), Adaobi Tabugo and Oghenemine Ekporere (60m hurdles,. men and women) and Temitope Adeshina (high jump).