Nigerian sprint sensation Kanyinsola Ajayi has stormed into the men’s 100m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo to become the first Nigerian athlete to reach the event’s final since Olusoji Fasuba in Osaka 2007.
The 21-year-old African Championships silver medallist, celebrating his birthday on Sunday, produced a blistering 9.93seconds to finish second in his semi-final heat, just 0.01seconds behind defending champion Noah Lyles of the United States (9.92seconds). South Africa’s Akani Simbine also advanced, clocking 9.96seconds.
Ajayi’s run follows his personal best of 9.88seconds in the heats, his sixth career sub-10 performance, underscoring his rise among the world’s elite sprinters. He outpaced Jeremiah Azu, Ackeem Blake, and Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs to book his place among the final eight.
Nigeria’s latest sprint star will now line up alongside Lyles, Letsile Tebogo, Oblique Seville, Simbine, and other global powerhouses in a final that promises fireworks. Ajayi’s breakthrough marks a major moment for Nigerian athletics, reigniting hopes of a podium finish on the world stage.
