BRUSSELS — Kanyinsola Ajayi has capped a remarkable 2026 season by becoming the first Nigerian to win a men’s 100m medal at the Diamond League final, after claiming bronze in Brussels on Friday.
The 21-year-old sprinter clocked 9.97 seconds to finish third in the blue-riband event, behind Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, who won in 9.90 seconds, and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who took silver in 9.93 seconds.
Ajayi’s historic podium finish adds another milestone to a breakthrough season in which he has established himself among the fastest sprinters in the world.
He had earlier shattered Olusoji Fasuba’s 20-year-old Nigerian record in the men’s 100m, running a lifetime best of 9.84 seconds.
The performance also earned him a bronze medal for Nigeria in the 100m at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
