Kanyinsola Ajayi Reflects on His Breakthrough Season in 2026

Nigeria’s sprint star, Kanyinsola Ajayi, has called his 2026 season a time of growth and important wins. He wrapped up his year with a close fourth-place finish at the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

Ajayi ran 9.93 seconds in the men’s 100-metre final. He had the same time as American Ronnie Baker, who got the bronze medal after a photo finish. Kenny Bednarek won gold in 9.85 seconds, while Oblique Seville took silver in 9.90 seconds.

Even though he missed the podium by just 0.004 seconds, Ajayi, speaking to Making of Champions in Budapest, felt good about how he handled a tough season.
“It was a good fight. I put in all my effort, I put in my best.”

The Nigerian runner acknowledged that his start was not ideal, but he was proud of his performance.
“I didn’t get my block clearance, but that was a little bit decent. I tried my best. I’m going to take it like that.”

NCAA Success Set the Tone

Ajayi kicked off the season by completing a sprint double at the NCAA Championships. He won the indoor 60m title in 6.45 seconds and then took the outdoor 100m crown in Eugene. He clocked a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds (+2.2m/s) in the outdoor final. Though this time was not valid for records, it showed how much he was improving.

For Ajayi, winning at the NCAA Championships was a major highlight of his year.
“Winning the NCAA was the best, also the London Diamond League.”

Breaking Fasuba’s Record

After his NCAA success, Ajayi achieved another milestone by running 9.84 seconds to break Olusoji Fasuba’s Nigerian 100m record of 9.85 seconds. He matched this record several times and won two key races against world champion Oblique Seville. First, he beat Seville at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene and then again at the London Diamond League. Ajayi broke and matched the Nigerian record multiple times throughout the season.

The London victory stood out for him.
“The second was the London Diamond League. That was the best.”

Commonwealth Bronze

Ajayi entered the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as one of the top competitors after his wins over Seville. Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme took gold in a Games record 9.83 seconds, Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy won silver in 9.85 seconds, while Ajayi finished third in 9.90 seconds to take home the bronze.

Even though the medal made him Nigeria’s first men’s 100m Commonwealth Games medallist in 20 years, Ajayi had gone to Glasgow aiming for gold.
The experience, nonetheless, gave him a taste of the pressure that comes with big competitions.

New Life as Professional

After three seasons at Auburn University, Ajayi left college athletics to turn professional. He signed a deal with Adidas in August.

This change has also introduced him to a new lifestyle, especially with the demands of traveling from one competition to another.
“It’s the first time I’m travelling around the world. It’s so funny, travelling around the world, getting to see people.”

From NCAA events to the Diamond League, Commonwealth Games, and finally Budapest, Ajayi raced against some of the best sprinters in the world. He believes these experiences have helped him grow.

“They helped me a lot, coming from the NCAA, going into the Diamond League, Commonwealth, coming back to the circuit again.”

Budapest Heartbreak

Ajayi reached the 100-metre final in Budapest after running 10.00 seconds in his semifinal. He then clocked 9.93 seconds in the final. This result left him in fourth place, just 0.004 seconds behind Baker, but it marked his 17th sub-10-second performance of the season, showing how consistent he was.

The final featured the reigning world, African, and Commonwealth champions, the European champion, and the reigning NCAA champion. Ajayi finished as the fastest African in the final and earned $25,000 for his fourth-place finish.

Follow the Plan

With the season finally done, Ajayi’s main focus is on recovery. He believes discipline and following his program helped him get through such a long season. “If you follow the plan, if you keep your plan, everything is just going to work out for you.”

Now, he wants to go back home, rest, and take a break from competition before starting to prepare for 2027.

Ajayi Eyes the 200m

Ajayi has also hinted at a possible change in his plans, saying he is thinking about taking the 200m more seriously. He already has a personal best of 20.93 seconds, but some people have doubted if he can be a top sprinter in two events.

He is sure those doubts will fade away soon.
“Many people are doubting, like I can’t run the 200, but yeah, those who don’t see this yet, they’re going to be surprised, I promise.”

Season That Changed Everything

Ajayi’s 2026 season was about more than just a fourth-place finish in Budapest. He became an NCAA champion, a Nigerian record-holder, and an Adidas professional. He defeated the world champion twice, won Commonwealth bronze, and showed he could consistently run under 10 seconds on the global stage. He also made history by reaching the podium at the Diamond League Final in Brussels. Budapest may have ended on a disappointing note, but missing bronze by four thousandths of a second only highlighted how close Ajayi is to the very top.

The first Ultimate Championship had a record $10 million prize fund, with $150,000 for individual event winners. Now, the next challenge is to recover, reset, and aim for new heights in 2027.
If Ajayi follows through with his plans for the 200m, Nigeria could have an even more exciting sprint star to watch in the next Olympic cycle.