Ajayi Blazes to NCAA 100m Crown with Wind-Assisted 9.72s

Kanyinsola Ajayi of Auburn University has stormed to victory in the NCAA 100m final, clocking a sensational 9.72 seconds to claim his second national title.

The 21-year-old Nigerian sprinter, already the indoor 60m champion, delivered the second-fastest all-conditions time in NCAA history on Friday night (Saturday morning in Nigeria).

Ajayi’s performance, aided by a 2.2 m/s tailwind, denied him the chance to erase Ferdinand Omanyala’s African record of 9.77 seconds, but it underscored his dominance on the collegiate stage.

The Auburn junior now becomes the first Nigerian student-athlete to win both the NCAA 60m and 100m titles, cementing his place among Africa’s sprinting elite.

The Hayward Field crowd witnessed a historic race, as six men dipped under the 10-second barrier.

LSU’s Jaiden Reid finished runner-up in 9.82 seconds, while Arkansas’ Jelani Watkins claimed third in 9.87 seconds. Ajayi’s compatriot, Israel Okon, could not fulfill his sprint double ambitions, finishing eighth in 10.12 seconds.

Ajayi’s triumph makes him only the third Nigerian ever to win the NCAA 100m crown.