Nigerian sprinter Konyinsola Ajayi will compete in the final of the ongoing 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo today, after delivering another stellar performance in the semi-finals on Sunday.
On his 21st birthday, Ajayi ran the sixth sub-10s race of his budding career, posting a time of 9.93s to finish second behind Olympic champion Noah Lyles (9.92s), while South Africa’s Akani Simbine came third in a time of 9.96s.
Ajayi is featuring in his first World Championships and becomes the first Nigerian to make the men’s 100m final in 18 years.
The last Nigerian to do so was national record holder and former sprinter, Olusoji Fasuba, in 2007. The former African record holder finished fourth in Osaka, Japan.
Ajayi’s compatriot, Israel Okon, couldn’t make the final after running 10.14s and finishing seventh in the third semi-final.
Jamaica’s Oblique Seville (9.86s) and Letsile Tebogo (9.94s) clinched the first and second spots, respectively, in the race.
Ajayi and Okon began their outing in Tokyo on resounding notes on Saturday.
While Ajayi ran a new personal best of 9.88s in the heats, becoming Nigeria’s third fastest man of all time, Okon clocked 10.04s in heat six, finishing ahead of Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, who ran 10.06s, and former Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs, who posted 10.20s.
Ajayi hopes to clinch a medal when he lines up in the men’s 100m final, which will come up at 2:20 pm on Sunday (today).
