BREAKING: Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi Becomes Second Fastest Sprinter Globally In 2025
Nigerian 20-year-old sprinter, Kanyinsola Ajayi made a remarkable statement at the 2025 Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, winning the men’s 100 meters with a time of 9.96 seconds (+1.9 m/s) to kick off his outdoor season in emphatic fashion.
Kanyinsola Ajayi has not only achieved a new personal best but also marked the fastest performance of his career during his season debut, positioning himself as the second-fastest man in the world in 2025 thus far.
Ajayi’s winning time is only surpassed this season by South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who clocked 9.90 seconds (-1.4 m/s) in Gaborone on April 12, and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, who also ran 9.96 seconds (+1.7 m/s) on the same day.
Ajayi now leads an elite group of sprinters that includes Courtney Lindsey (USA) at 9.97 seconds, Bayanda Walaza (RSA) at 9.99 seconds, and Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN) at 10.00 seconds.
The competition in Gainesville featured some of the brightest collegiate and under-23 talents from the United States. Ajayi finished ahead of LSU’s Jelani Watkins (10.03 seconds), T’Mars McCallum (10.04 seconds), and Kalen Walker (10.06 seconds), all of whom are considered rising stars in American sprinting.
The depth of the race adds significance to Ajayi’s victory, with all eight finalists posting times under 10.20 seconds. Completing the high-quality final were Sam Blaskowski (10.09 seconds), Myles Thomas (10.13 seconds), Xavier Butler (10.15 seconds), and Deron Dudley (10.17 seconds).
Ajayi’s performance places him among the best Nigerian sprinters in history. He is now the 14th Nigerian man to break the 10-second barrier and stands as the 10th fastest Nigerian ever, tied with Raymond Ekevwo, who also clocked 9.96 seconds (+1.6 m/s) in 2019. This elite group includes names like Olusoji Fasuba, Divine Oduduru, Seun Ogunkoya, Davidson Ezinwa, and Favour Ashe.
In Nigeria’s all-time 100m rankings, Fasuba holds the national record with 9.85 seconds (Doha 2006), followed by Oduduru at 9.86 seconds (Austin 2019) and Godson Brume at 9.90 seconds (Austin 2023).
Ajayi’s sub-10 performance, especially as a season opener, indicates the potential for even faster times as the season progresses.
