Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi is silencing the doubters at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, etching his name into the record books by storming into the men’s 100m final on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
The 20-year-old sprinter clocked 9.93 seconds to finish second in his semi-final at the Japan National Stadium, just behind world champion Noah Lyles, who edged it with 9.92s. South Africa’s Akani Simbine followed closely in third in 9.96s.
With his place in the final secured, Ajayi became the first Nigerian man since Olusoji Fasuba in 2007 to achieve the milestone at a World Championships.
The Auburn University athlete had already turned heads on the opening day, finishing runner-up in his heat behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who posted 9.87s.
Ajayi produced a personal best of 9.88 in that race, a time that makes him the third-fastest Nigerian in history over the distance. He sits just behind Fasuba, whose national record of 9.85s still stands, and Divine Oduduru, who has clocked 9.86s.
Earlier in the day, world record holder Tobi Amusan cruised into the semi-finals after winning her heat.
The 28-year-old ran a time of 12.53s to finish ahead of Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton (12.69s) and Italy’s Elena Carraro (12.86s).
