Ajayi becomes first Nigerian in World Championships 100m final in 18 Years

History was wonderfully made at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships on Sunday as Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi competed in the men’s 100m final ending the nation’s 18-year wait for representation in the event’s biggest stage.

Ajayi raced to an impressive 9.93 seconds in his semifinal on Sunday morning, finishing behind Olympic champion Noah Lyles and booked his place in the final.

In doing so, he became the first Nigerian man since Olusoji Fasuba in 2007 to reach a World Championships 100m final.

In the highly anticipated final, Ajayi delivered a strong performance on his debut, finishing sixth with a time of 10.00 seconds. Although he missed out on the medals, his achievement marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, as the sprinter broke a long-standing record on his 21st birthday.

The final race saw Jamaica’s Oblique Seville clinch gold, followed by compatriot Kishane Thompson in silver, while Olympic champion Noah Lyles of the United States won the bronze.

Late on Saturday, World Record holder Tobi Amusan underlined Nigeria’s continued presence on the global stage by clocking 12.53 seconds to win Heat 6 of the women’s 100m hurdles.

She finished ahead of Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who ran 12.69s. Amusan will return for the semifinals on Monday in Tokyo as she continues her chase for another world title.