Blistering start at Nigerian Championships: Sprinting history made in Lagos
The 2025 Nigerian Track and Field Championships kicked off with unprecedented speed and excitement at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Ground, where the men’s 100m opening heats delivered the fastest start in championship history.
In a thrilling display of athletic excellence, four Nigerian sprinters raced under the 10.10-second mark—a historic first for the opening rounds of the national championships.
Leading the charge was Israel Okon, who improved his personal best from 10.06 seconds to an electrifying 10.03. He was followed by his Auburn University school mate and national leader at 9.92, Kanyinsola Ajayi (10.05).
Hot on their heels, Adekalu Fakorede shattered his own lifetime best of 10.11, clocking a new personal record of 10.06 seconds. The performances are however subject to ratification by World Athletics.
Olatunde Olaolu equaled his season and personal best of 10.13 seconds to win his heat, while 2021 champion Enoch Adegoke returned to familiar ground, racing 10.14 seconds—his second-fastest performance since clinching the title on this track four years ago.
Seye Ogunlewe continued his consistent season with a 10.17 finish, and John Caleb produced one of the day’s most remarkable improvements, sprinting below 10.20 for the first time in his career after a previous best of 10.39 seconds recorded in April on the same track.
In total, eight sprinters crossed the line under 10.20 seconds, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a rising sprint powerhouse.
If officially ratified, this year will mark the third consecutive year that six Nigerians have run under 10.10 seconds in a calendar year—eclipsing the previous high of five sub-10.10 performances set in 2022.
Anticipation now builds ahead of Saturday’s semifinal and final rounds, where experts believe a sub-10 performance will likely be required to crown the 2025 national champion.
A sub-10 result would be historic, marking just the third time it has occurred in a national championship final following Deji Aliu’s 9.98 seconds in 2003 and Favour Ashe’s 9.99 seconds in 2022.
This year could even see multiple athletes breaking that elusive barrier in the same final—a first in Nigerian athletics history.
Meanwhile, the women’s 100m heats signaled a potential breakout championship for Olajide Olayinka, who delivered the fastest performance of the round.
With a pre-championship best of 11.15 seconds and the confirmed absence of World Athletics-qualified sprinters Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Tima Godbless, Olayinka stands as the woman to beat.
She now faces the dual challenge of securing victory and reaching the qualifying standard of 11.05 seconds for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
The 2025 Nigerian Track and Field Championships have already lived up to their billing as the most competitive in recent memory, and with history on the line, Saturday’s sprints promise to be nothing short of explosive.
