Kanyinsola Ajayi has claimed the men’s 100m title at the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), continuing Nigeria’s strong presence in American collegiate athletics.
The 21-year-old athlete, who represents Auburn University, becomes only the second Nigerian to win the American sprint crown at the event after Divine Oduduru in 2018.
Ajayi recorded a stunning 9.72 seconds in the final, a time that would have surpassed the African record held by Ferdinand Omanyala, but it was ruled ineligible for record purposes due to a +2.2 m/s tailwind.
Competing in Eugene, Oregon, Ajayi dominated the race, pulling clear of the field by nearly 15 metres in the closing stage. Jaiden Reid of LSU finished second in 9.82s, while Arkansas’ Jelani Watkins came third.
The performance places Ajayi joint-sixth alongside sprint legend Asafa Powell on the all-conditions list of fastest 100m times ever recorded, behind Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake, Obadele Thompson and Andre De Grasse.
Earlier in May, he also became Nigeria’s fastest sprinter after breaking the national 100m record previously set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006.
In the men’s 400m, Samuel Ogazi successfully defended his NCAA title, clocking 43.38 seconds to break the collegiate record set by Michael Norman in 2018.
Ogazi, who competes for the University of Alabama, is now ranked as the fourth fastest 400m runner in history, behind Wayde van Niekerk, Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds.