Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi becomes world’s fastest man in 2026

Nigerian sprint sensation, Kanyinsola Ajayi, has made history after breaking the men’s 100m national record at the 2026 NCAA Division I East First Round track and field meet in the United States.

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The 21-year-old Auburn University athlete clocked an astonishing 9.84 seconds in one of the quarter-final heats in the early hours of Saturday,  to qualify for the NCAA Championships, and erase a record that had stood for nearly two decades.

His time of 9.84s (0.4m/s) eclipsed the previous Nigerian national record of 9.85s set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006.

Ajayi’s outstanding performance also makes him the fastest man in the world so far in 2026, surpassing the previous world-leading mark set earlier this week by Botswana’s 400m world champion, Collen Kebinatshipi, who had attracted global attention with a remarkable run over the shorter distance.

Speaking after the race in an interview with Making of Champions, an emotional Ajayi revealed that the performance was the result of trust in his preparation and faith in God.

“My coach told me what to do. I knew I was in good shape, so I just had to come here and execute,” he said.

Asked about breaking Fasuba’s long-standing national record, he said: “I’ve always been dreaming about it. God made it happen, so I’m very grateful to God.”