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Nigeria’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships witnessed outstanding performances from two Nigerian athletes, Kanyinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi, who both secured men’s titles in their respective events.
Ajayi, 21, representing Auburn University, stormed to victory in the men’s 100m final, clocking an impressive 9.72 seconds at Eugene, Oregon. However, the time will not count as a record due to a +2.2 m/s tailwind, exceeding the allowable limit.
Despite the wind-assisted run, Ajayi’s performance places him among elite company, tying him as the joint-sixth fastest sprinter under all conditions alongside Asafa Powell. Only sprint legends such as Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake, Obadele Thompson and Andre De Grasse have recorded faster times.
Ajayi also becomes only the second Nigerian to win the NCAA 100m title after Divine Oduduru, who achieved the feat in 2018. His recent form has been remarkable, having earlier broken the long-standing Nigerian 100m record set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006.
In the men’s 400m event, Ogazi, representing University of Alabama, successfully defended his title with a blistering time of 43.38 seconds. The performance shattered the collegiate record previously held by Michael Norman since 2018.
Ogazi’s time elevates him to the fourth-fastest 400m runner in history, trailing only Wayde van Niekerk, Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds.
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