World Champs: Nigeria’s Okon, Ajayi into men’s 100m s/final

By Emmanuel Okogba

Nigeria’s duo of Kayinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon, the nation’s lone 2 representatives successful the 100 metres men lawsuit astatine the ongoing World Athletics Championships successful Tokyo person qualified for the semi-final billed for Sunday.

While Ajayi ran a Personal Best sub 10s clip of 9.88 (+0.3) successful Heat 1 and finished second, Okon did 10.04 (-0.6) to triumph Heat 6.

Cayman Islands’ Davonte Howell (L), Nigeria’s Israel Okon Sunday and Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs vie successful the men’s 100m heats during the World Athletics Championships successful Tokyo connected September 13, 2025. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

Ajayi’s effort earned him the 2nd wide champion finishing time, lone down South Africa’s Gift Leotlela who besides ran a PB of 9.87 (+0.3) and up of defending World and Olympic Champion, Noah Lyles who ran 9.95 (-1.1) and finished wide fourth.

For the semi-final, Ajayi volition tally from lane 7 successful Heat 1 alongside 2 Olympic 100 metre champions, Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs and United States’ Noah Lyles. 

China’s Zhenye Xie, Senegal’s jock Mamadou Fall Sarr and Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi vie successful the men’s 100m heats during the World Athletics Championships successful Tokyo connected September 13, 2025. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

Okon volition besides tally from lane 7 successful Heat 3 that includes 200m Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo, Canada’s Andre De Grasse and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, who volition anticipation to amended connected however helium started successful the archetypal round.

Other African representatives, Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya), South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Ghana’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu besides made it to the semi final.

The archetypal 2 of each vigor (Q) positive 2 fastest times (q) volition suffice to the final

The station World Champs: Nigeria’s Okon, Ajayi into men’s 100m s/final appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.