Nigeria has crowned a new national sprint benchmark after Kanyinsola Ajayi tore through the 100 metres in 9.84 seconds at the NCAA East Regional on Friday, smashing the long-standing national record and establishing a fresh standard for Nigerian sprinting.
The 21-year-old Auburn University athlete delivered the standout run of his life, winning his heat, securing qualification for the NCAA Championships, and knocking out a record that had survived for almost two decades.
Ajayi’s clocking of 9.84s (at an average speed of 0.4m/s) moved him past the prior Nigerian national best of 9.85s set by Olusoji Fasuba back in 2006—an effort that many expected would endure for years.
The performance also propelled Ajayi to the summit of the 2026 world rankings for the event, placing him top globally at this stage of the season.
On top of rewriting the national record, Ajayi’s time ranks as the second-fastest 100m ever produced in collegiate competition, highlighting just how significant the achievement is within the college ranks.
After the race, in an interview with Making of Champions, an emotional Ajayi explained that the breakthrough came from confidence in his preparation and belief in God.
“My coach told me what to do. I knew I was in good shape, so I just had to come here and execute,” he said.
Ajayi had already signalled that something special was coming earlier, running 9.90 seconds in the preliminary rounds with ease. Even so, the size of what he ultimately achieved appeared to catch him off guard.
Asked about breaking Fasuba’s long-standing record, Ajayi responded: “I’ve always been dreaming about it. God made it happen, so I’m very grateful to God.”
