Fasuba praises Ajayi’s growth in athletics

Kanyinsola Ajayi. Photo: Athletic Heat

Former Nigerian sprinter Olusoji Fasuba has praised Auburn athlete Kanyinsola Ajayi after the young runner set a new Nigerian record in the men’s 100m. The 21-year-old has shown steady growth from junior competitions to the senior level, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Ajayi broke Fasuba’s 20-year-old national record with a world-leading time of 9.84 seconds at the NCAA East Regional Championships last Friday. He also qualified for the NCAA Championships with this performance.

Fasuba’s record of 9.85 seconds, which was also the African record at the time, was set at the Doha Grand Prix in May 2006. The current African record belongs to Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who ran 9.77 seconds in Nairobi on September 18, 2021.

In a conversation with our reporter, Fasuba shared his thoughts on Ajayi’s journey.
“One thing I admire about Kanyinsola is that his progression has largely been under the radar. There was no huge hype around him, just steady improvement year after year. While many people were looking elsewhere, he kept working, kept developing and kept closing the gap,” Fasuba said to PUNCH Sports Extra.

“Sometimes the athletes who make the most noise as juniors do not go on to become the best seniors. Kanyinsola’s journey is a reminder that patience, consistency and hard work still matter.
He has earned this moment. Most importantly, I am happy that a humble young man has actually taken over the baton from me.”

Besides breaking the national record, Ajayi is now the second-fastest collegiate men’s 100m runner in history. He trails American Christian Coleman, who ran 9.82 seconds in 2017.

Ajayi is also the Nigerian athlete with the most sub-10s. He has run eight sub-10 second races between April 2025 and May 2026.

The Nigerian will be aiming to win his first NCAA title at the NCAA Championships in Oregon, starting on June 10.