Nigerian sprint sensation Kanyinsola Ajayi has officially etched his name into the athletics record books. Competing at the 2026 NCAA Division I East Preliminary meet in Lexington, Kentucky, the 21-year-old delivered a breathtaking performance to break the long-standing Nigerian men’s 100m national record.
The Auburn University prodigy clocked an astonishing 9.84 seconds (with a legal tailwind of 0.4m/s) during the quarterfinal heats in the early hours of Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Ajayi’s historic dash effectively eclipsed the previous national record of 9.85 seconds, which was set by former African sprint king Olusoji Fasuba exactly 20 years ago in May 2006.
The Fastest Man in the World in 2026
Beyond capturing the highly coveted national crown, Ajayi’s masterclass has sent shockwaves through the global track and field landscape. The blistering 9.84-second run has officially elevated him to the world leader position as the fastest man in the world so far in the 2026 season.
It also places him as the second-fastest collegiate athlete in United States history, sits just two-hundredths of a second shy of Christian Coleman’s legendary NCAA record of 9.82 seconds.
The Historic Record Shift: Nigeria’s 100m Changing of the Guard
| Era / Rank | Athlete | Clocked Time | Event & Milestone Venue |
| New Record Holder (2026) | Kanyinsola Ajayi | 9.84 seconds | 2026 NCAA East Preliminaries (Lexington, KY) |
| Previous Record Holder (2006) | Olusoji Fasuba | 9.85 seconds | Doha Grand Prix (Doha, Qatar) |
| Collegiate Ranking | All-Time US History | #2 Fastest | Sits just behind Christian Coleman’s 9.82s record. |
| 2026 Global Ranking | World Athletics | World Leader | The fastest competitive 100m time recorded globally this year. |
“My coach told me what to do. I knew I was in good shape, so I just had to come here and execute. I’ve always been dreaming about it. God made it happen, so I’m very grateful to God. It is me versus myself. I’m not thinking about anybody else. I just have to focus and do what I have to do.” — Kanyinsola Ajayi via Making of Champions
Double Joy for Nigeria in the 400m
Ajayi was not the only Nigerian tearing up the track in Kentucky. Fellow compatriot Samuel Ogazi continued his meteoric rise by obliterating his own national record in the men’s 400m.
Ogazi stormed across the finish line in a spectacular 43.82 seconds, lowering his previous national mark and cementing an absolutely dominant weekend for Nigerian athletic prospects on the global stage.
With both athletes securely qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the future of Nigerian sprinting heading toward the Commonwealth Games later this year looks remarkably bright.
