Ajayi, Ogazi, Adeshina Tipped to Rewrite NCAA And Nigeria Indoor History in Fayetteville

The NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships return to Fayetteville, Arkansas this weekend, and history could be rewritten once again.

After a flurry of record-breaking performances in recent years, 11 records fell in 2023, three in 2024, and one in 2025, the stage is set for another round of potential milestones.

NCAA analyst and journalist, Stan Becton believes Nigerian stars Kanyinsola Ajayi, Samuel Ogazi, and Temitope Adeshina are among the athletes poised to challenge the record books.

Becton says Auburn University’s ‘already knows what it feels like to break a collegiate record in the men’s 60m. Having done it once, the possibility of repeating the feat at the championships is very real.

‘His explosive speed makes him one of the most dangerous sprinters in the field, and the record remains firmly on notice,’ wrote Becton on the NCAA website.

Becton is confident the men’s 400m could be the race of the meet.

‘Georgia’s Jonathan Simms and Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi are both among the top-10 all-time collegiate performers. Simms opened his season with a 44.62 but has yet to dip under 45 seconds again.

‘Ogazi, on the other hand, has already clocked two sub-45 performances this February. With a personal outdoor best of 44.43, Ogazi is well within striking distance of the collegiate indoor record of 44.49 set by Georgia’s Christopher Morales Williams in 2024,’ added Becton who also believes Adeshina could clear 2m this weekend.

‘Adeshina, the reigning co-champion from 2025, has already cleared 1.97m this season. Twice she has attempted the elusive 2m barrier, and Fayetteville could be the place where she finally soars over it,’ wrote Becton.

If successful, she would become the first Nigerian woman to clear 2 metres.