Ajayi Moves Up to Historic 3rd In World 100m Ranking, Nathaniel Drops to 6th
Kanyinsola Ajayi has continued his remarkable rise by becoming the first Nigerian man to reach third position in the World Athletics 100m rankings.
The 22-year-old moved up from fourth to third following Tuesday night’s latest update of the World Athletics rankings, recording another historic milestone in a breakthrough 2026 season.
Ajayi now has a ranking score of 1384 points, moving above American Noah Lyles, who dropped to fourth with 1376 points.
World Athletics Ultimate Championships double sprint champion Kenneth Bednarek climbed from fourth to second with 1413 points, moving above Ajayi after his outstanding performance in Budapest.
Bednarek’s rise was driven by his 9.85-second victory in the 100m at the Ultimate Championships, which earned him a performance score of 1372 points when his ranking and placing scores were combined.
Ajayi’s latest achievement adds to a remarkable list of firsts in 2026.
He became the first Nigerian man to win the NCAA 60m title and subsequently the first Nigerian to complete the NCAA indoor 60m and outdoor 100m double in the same year.
He then broke Olusoji Fasuba’s 20-year Nigerian 100m record before becoming the first Nigerian man to win the blue-riband event at a Diamond League meeting.
Ajayi also became the first Nigerian man to reach a Diamond League 100m final, underlining his rapid rise to the top of the event globally.
The Nigerian is not alone among his compatriots in the latest 100m rankings, with four other Nigerians making the top 100.
Israel Okon is ranked 70th, two places ahead of Favour Ashe in 72nd, while Adekalu Fakorede is 84th and Chidera Ezeakor 96th.
In the 200m rankings, Udodi Onwuzurike moved two places up to 15th, while Samuel Ogazi, who has been inactive since he won the Commonwealth title, dropped from 11th to 12th.
Nathaniel Ezekiel suffered the biggest fall among the leading Nigerians, dropping from third before the Ultimate Championships to sixth, while Chukwuebuka Enekwechi remains ninth in the rankings.
