Ajayi Becomes First Nigerian World Championships 100m Finalist in 18 Years!
Ikorodu-born Lagos native, Kanyinsola Ajayi, has sprinted into the men’s 100m final, becoming the first Nigerian man to qualify for the blue-riband event’s final in 18 years.
The 20-year-old, who clocked a new personal best of 9.88 seconds in the first round, finished second in the first semifinal heat with a time of 9.93 seconds—just behind defending champion Noah Lyles of the USA—to secure one of the two automatic qualifying spots for the final.
Ajayi is now the seventh Nigerian man to reach the 100m final at the World Championships and the first since Olusoji Fasuba achieved the feat in Osaka, Japan, in 2007.
The Auburn University undergraduate, whose 9.88 run is the fastest ever by a Nigerian at the World Championships, now sets his sights on making further history by becoming the first Nigerian man to reach the podium in the event.
Ajayi’s Auburn University teammate, Israel Okon, was not as fortunate. He finished seventh in the third semifinal heat, clocking 10.14 seconds.
The 18-year-old had raised hopes of a historic double appearance for Nigeria in the final—something that has only happened once before—after winning his first-round heat in 10.04 seconds.
As it stands, the duo of Deji Aliu and Uchenna Emedolu will retain their record as the first two Nigerians to feature together in the 100m final at the World Championships.
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