Nigerian sprint star Kayinsola Ajayi says matching his own national record has boosted his confidence that he can run even faster. He achieved a significant win at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, according to reports from PUNCH Sports Extra.
The 21-year-old took first place in the men’s 100m at Hayward Field on Saturday, finishing with a time of 9.84 seconds. He beat reigning world champion Oblique Seville from Jamaica, who came in second at 9.89 seconds. American Olympian Christian Coleman placed third with a time of 9.95 seconds, just ahead of his fellow countryman Kenneth Bednarek, who finished in 9.96 seconds.
Ajayi's winning time ties his own Nigerian record of 9.84 seconds, which he set for the first time in May. This achievement highlights his rapid growth as one of the top sprinters in the world.
“Equalling the national record again means a lot. That means I can do better and I feel great about that,” Ajayi told FloTrack.
“I’m just going to continue the momentum, no going back and whatever is next is next.”
This victory is another big milestone for Ajayi. Just weeks earlier, he won his first NCAA Outdoor 100m title after a fantastic college season.
Even though Seville started strong, Ajayi powered past him during the acceleration phase. He took control of the race around the 30-meter mark and finished impressively. His 9.84 seconds is only behind Seville’s best of 9.82 seconds this season.
Ajayi said moving from college athletics to the professional scene has not scared him. He credits the tough NCAA environment for preparing him to compete with the best in the world.
“It feels like the same thing to me. Competing in the NCAA and the pressure in the NCAA. If I could overcome the pressure in the NCAA, that means I can overcome any pressure at pro level, so it’s still the same thing to me, nothing different,” he explained after the race.
The Nigerian also shared what has helped him achieve this impressive form.
“Consistency, practice and just stay healthy and just trust myself and trust my coach,” he said.
Ajayi first broke the Nigerian record in May when he ran 9.84 seconds at the NCAA East Regional Championships. He surpassed Olusoji Fasuba’s long-standing national record of 9.85 seconds, which had been in place since the Doha Grand Prix in 2006.
He followed that success by winning the NCAA title in June with a wind-assisted time of 9.72 seconds. This further established him as one of the fastest men in sprinting.
While Fasuba’s record stood as the African record for many years, the current continental record belongs to Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who finished in 9.77 seconds in Nairobi in 2021.
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