Ajayi Faces Omanyala in 100m Semifinal Blockbuster; Ashe, Fakorede Face Tough Tests in Glasgow

Kanyinsola Ajayi will face defending Commonwealth Games champion and African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala in a blockbuster men’s 100m semifinal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Tuesday.

Ajayi, who owns a personal and season’s best of 9.84 seconds, has been drawn in lane four of the second semifinal, alongside Omanyala, who holds the African record of 9.77 seconds.

The Kenyan enters the race with a 9.94-second season’s best.

Ghana’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, who has a personal best of 9.84 seconds, will also line up in the same heat, while South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana and Australia’s Rohan Browning add further quality to a highly competitive field.

Only the first two athletes in each semifinal will qualify automatically for the final, with the next two fastest athletes across all three heats also advancing.

Reigning Nigerian champion Favour Ashe faces another difficult challenge in the opening semifinal.

The 9.93-second sprinter will line up against Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati, who ran a season’s best-equalling 10.00 seconds in the first round, Jamaica’s Rohan Watson, Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme and Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, who owns a 9.96-second personal best.

Ashe will start from lane six, with Azamati in lane four and Eseme in lane three. The Nigerian will need to finish among the top two or produce one of the next two fastest times to secure a place in the final.

Adekalu Fakorede will compete in the third semifinal, where he faces a strong field including Canada’s Jerome Blake, Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake and South Africa’s Gift Leotlela.

Fakorede, who has a 9.98-second personal and season’s best, will run from lane four. Jerome Blake has also run 9.93 seconds, while Ackeem Blake boasts a 9.88-second personal best. Leotlela, meanwhile, has a 9.87-second best.