Kayinsola Ajayi Aims for NCAA Title in Eugene, Oregon

Kayinsola Ajayi is set to compete for his first NCAA title at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene, Oregon, USA. He overcame a slow start to win his semi-final heat with a time of 9.94 seconds, which matched the Cayman Islands national record held by Jaiden Reid at 9.95 seconds.

This performance marks Ajayi's ninth legal sub-10 second run and the fastest time overall in the semi-finals. The 21-year-old sprinter will join his compatriot, Israel Okon, in the final.

Ajayi aims to improve upon his fourth-place finish from the previous year, where he recorded a personal best of 9.92 seconds. He recently broke the long-standing Nigerian record set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006, clocking 9.84 seconds at the NCAA East Region Championship two weeks prior, surpassing Fasuba's 20-year-old record of 9.85 seconds.

Fasuba believes Ajayi has the potential to reclaim the African record currently held by Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala at 9.77 seconds.