Ajayi Makes History as First Nigerian in World Championships 100m Final in 18 Years

History was made at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships 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 powered to an impressive 9.93 seconds in his semi-final 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 21 year old broke a long-standing record on his 21st birthday.

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

Meanwhile, 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 semi-finals on Monday in Tokyo as she continues her chase for another world title.