Ajayi makes 18 years jinx as first Nigerian in World Championships 100m final, Amusan advances to 100mH semis
pannigeriannews
2 min read
History was made on Sunday at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships as Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Kanyinsola Ajayi, ended the nation’s 18-year wait for representation in the men’s 100m final.
Ajayi stormed to an impressive 9.93 seconds in his semifinal race, finishing just behind Olympic champion Noah Lyles to secure his spot in the final. In doing so, he became the first Nigerian man since Olusoji Fasuba in 2007 to reach the 100m final of the World Championships.
Competing in the final later that evening, the 21-year-old Ajayi, who coincidentally celebrated his 21st birthday on the same day, delivered a strong debut performance, clocking 10.00 seconds to place sixth overall. Though he narrowly missed out on the medals, his feat stands as a landmark achievement for Nigerian athletics, underlining the resurgence of the country’s sprinting tradition on the global stage.
The men’s 100m final saw Jamaica’s Oblique Seville claim gold, while his compatriot Kishane Thompson took silver. Olympic champion Noah Lyles of the United States settled for bronze in a fiercely contested race.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, underlined her class on Saturday by cruising to victory in her heat. Amusan clocked 12.53 seconds to win heat 6, finishing ahead of Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who posted 12.69 seconds.
With the convincing display, Amusan secured her passage to the semifinals scheduled for Monday, as she continues her quest for another world title in Tokyo.
In a statement, the Special Assistant on Media, Office of the Director-General, National Sports Commission, reaffirmed the Commission’s pride in the athletes’ performances and expressed optimism for Nigeria’s prospects at the championships.
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