Nigeria Kanyinsola Ajayi Soars into History: First Nigerian in 100m Final in 18 Years

The Digest:

Kanyinsola Ajayi has ended an 18-year wait, qualifying for the men’s 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The 21-year-old achieved the feat on his birthday, clocking 9.93s to secure his place among sprinting's elite and becoming the first Nigerian to reach this stage since Olusoji Fasuba in 2007.

Key Points:

• Ajayi finished second in his semi-final heat, narrowly behind USA’s Olympic champion Noah Lyles.
• His time of 9.93s was the fifth-fastest across all semi-final races.
• He is one of four African athletes to qualify for the prestigious final.
• The Ikorodu-native has now run a sub-10-second race six times in his career.
• He will face the world’s best, including top-ranked Kishane Thompson, in Monday’s final.
• His achievement stands in contrast to compatriot Israel Okon, who finished 7th in his heat.
• Ajayi recently lost his national champion title but has triumphed on the world stage.

This breakthrough run signals a powerful resurgence for Nigerian athletics, proving that with fierce talent and determination, new legends are born.

Sources: The Cable