Race Analysis: How Ajayi Beat Seville to Win London Diamond League 100m
Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi produced a powerful late surge to defeat Jamaica’s Oblique Seville and win the men’s 100m at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday.
Seville made the faster start, reaching 10m in 1.81 seconds compared to Ajayi’s 1.85 seconds, and remained ahead through the opening 30m.
However, Ajayi steadily closed the gap and drew level with the Jamaican at the 40-metre mark, with both sprinters recording 4.66 seconds.
The Nigerian then began to edge ahead in the second half of the race. The two athletes were still level at 60m in 6.37 seconds, but Ajayi moved in front at 70m and maintained his advantage through the closing stages.
Ajayi reached 80m in 8.07 seconds, just ahead of Seville’s 8.08, before extending his lead to two hundredths of a second at 90m.
The Nigerian produced the stronger finish to cross the line in 9.84 seconds and equal the national record, while Seville finished second in 9.87 seconds.
The victory gave Ajayi a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over Seville and marked the third time he has recorded 9.84 seconds in his career.
The performance further strengthens Ajayi’s status as one of the leading contenders for the men’s 100m gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Nigerian, who is also a World Championships finalist, will head into the major championship with significant momentum after defeating one of the world’s leading sprinters in London.
