Fasuba Says Kanyinsola Ajayi’s 9.84s Sparks Hope Nigeria Can Reclaim African 100m Record
Former Nigerian 100m record holder Olusoji Fasuba has expressed confidence that Nigeria is ready to challenge for global medals in sprinting once again, following the breakthrough performances of young athletes at the NCAA East First Rounds.
Fasuba, a three-time African champion and the first man to win three consecutive 100m titles at the African Championships, praised Kanyinsola Ajayi for smashing his long-standing Nigerian record.
Ajayi clocked 9.84 seconds in Kentucky, eclipsing Fasuba’s 9.85 mark set in Doha 20 years ago. The feat also positions Ajayi among Africa’s fastest sprinters, with Fasuba predicting that Nigeria could soon reclaim the continental record currently held by Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala at 9.77.
‘Based on the form he is showing, I genuinely believe there is still much more to come. The possibility of Nigeria taking back the African record is now realistic once again, and Kanyinsola has shown that he has the talent to chase that target,’ Fasuba said.
He congratulated Ajayi warmly, recalling his own pride in holding both the Nigerian and African records for over a decade.
‘Records are not meant to stand forever. They are meant to inspire the next generation to dream bigger, work harder and push the boundaries even further.’
Ajayi’s rise has been meteoric. Earlier this year, he broke the Nigerian indoor 60m record with 6.45 seconds and became the first Nigerian student-athlete to win the NCAA Division I 60m indoor title.
He also reached the 100m final at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, the first Nigerian to do so since Fasuba himself in 2007. Fasuba believes Ajayi can surpass his own fourth-place finish in Osaka and make history as the first Nigerian to reach the podium in the blue riband event.
The weekend also saw Israel Okon dip under 10 seconds with a 9.99 run, becoming the 15th Nigerian sprinter to achieve the milestone. Fasuba said these performances reflect a resurgence in Nigerian sprinting, proving that the nation’s athletes can compete with the very best in the world.
