Ajayi braces for 100m title defence at national trials

Konyinsola Ajayi, the men’s 100m champion from Nigeria and semifinalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, is prepared to confront a tough group of competitors for the championship at the national trials set to take place from Friday to Sunday, August 3, at Yabatech in Lagos

Ajayi first earned this title last year at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, clocking in at 10.14 seconds. He outpaced Alaba Akintola, who finished just behind with a time of 10.16 seconds, while Usheoritse Itsekiri, the 2023 champion, placed third with 10.22 seconds.

This season, Ajayi will compete against athletes like Israel Okon, Fakorede Adekalu, Favour Ashe, and Olaolu Olatunde, among others, as he seeks to defend his title.

“I’m really looking forward to the competition because this year many runners have clocked times below 10.15 seconds, which makes for fierce competition,” Ajayi shared with PUNCH Sports Extra.

“I’m eager to see how we all perform on our own ground.”

Since claiming the title last year, Ajayi has joined the ranks of Nigerian runners who have achieved sub-10 second times.

At the 2025 Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, a 20-year-old athlete made his mark on the Nigerian elite list by winning the men’s 100m with a fast time of 9.96 seconds (+1.9 m/s), kicking off his outdoor season in a spectacular way.

Earlier this month, he maintained his impressive form, matching his personal best of 9.92 seconds to secure victory in the men’s 100m at the Meeting International in Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France.

For nine years, Bledman’s record of 10.02 seconds stood until Ajayi broke it with a smooth run supported by a legal tailwind of +1.7 m/s.

Emmanuel Eseme from Cameroon finished second with a time of 10.04 seconds, while Senegal’s Mamadou Sarr came in third at 10.10 seconds.

Ajayi's time positions him among the fastest sprinters globally this year, and he now shares the fourth spot on Nigeria’s all-time list with Seun Ogunkoya and Udodi Onwuzurike, trailing only Soji Fasuba (9.85 seconds), Divine Oduduru (9.86 seconds), and Godson Oghenebrume (9.90 seconds).

The star from Auburn University now has two of the five fastest legal sprint times in Nigerian history, both achieved at the age of 20, and joins the ranks of Davidson Ezinwa and Ogunkoya with four career sub-10 second races, the second-highest total for any Nigerian.