Kanyinsola Ajayi Shines With Historic Personal Best To Reach Men’s 100m Semifinals At Tokyo 2025 World Championships
2 min read
By Sedara Philip
Nigeria’s newest sprint sensation, Kanyinsola Ajayi, delivered a performance to remember on his World Championships debut, storming into the men’s 100m semifinals with a blistering 9.88s, a new Personal Best and the third-fastest time in Nigerian history.
The 20-year-old rising star lined up in Heat 1 alongside seasoned global names but showed maturity and composure beyond his years. Ajayi powered through the track to finish second, just behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who also ran a Personal Best of 9.87s.
Jamaica’s in-form sprinter Oblique Seville claimed the third automatic qualifying spot in 9.93s, underscoring the quality of the race.
Ajayi’s time not only earned him progression to the semifinals but also etched his name firmly in Nigeria’s sprinting history. He now sits third on the nation’s all-time list, behind Olusoji Fasuba’s national record of 9.85s (2006) and Divine Oduduru’s 9.86s (2019).
The youngster’s breakthrough has reignited Nigerian hopes on the global stage, especially in an event where the country has struggled to make an impact in recent years.
Should Ajayi reproduce or even better his Tokyo performance in the semifinals on Day 2 (September 14), he could become Nigeria’s first men’s 100m finalist at the World Championships since Fasuba in 2005.
With youth, speed, and history on his side, Ajayi is no longer just one for the future—he has announced himself as one of the brightest sprinting talents in the world today.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
