Fasuba hails Ajayi’s mentality

Former Nigerian sprinter Olusoji Fasuba has praised Auburn athlete Kayinsola Ajayi after the youngster set a new Nigerian record in the men’s 100m, hailing the 21-year-old’s steady progression from the junior ranks to the senior level, PidomNigeria Sports Extra reports.

Ajayi broke Fasuba’s 20-year-old national record with a world-leading time of 9.84 seconds at the NCAA East Regional Championships last Friday and also secured qualification for the NCAA Championships.

Fasuba’s 9.85-second mark, which was also the African record at the time, was set at the Doha Grand Prix in May 2006. The continental record is now held by Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who clocked 9.77 seconds in Nairobi on September 18, 2021.

In a chat with our correspondent, Fasuba expressed admiration for Ajayi’s development.

“One thing I admire about Kayinsola is that his progression has largely been under the radar. There was no huge hype around him, just steady improvement year after year. While many people were looking elsewhere, he kept working, kept developing and kept closing the gap,” Fasuba told PidomNigeria Sports Extra.

“Sometimes the athletes who make the most noise as juniors do not go on to become the best seniors. Kayinsola’s journey is a reminder that patience, consistency and hard work still matter.

He has earned this moment. Most importantly, I am happy that a humble young man has actually taken over the baton from me.”

In addition to setting the national record, Ajayi now ranks as the second-fastest collegiate men’s 100m runner in history behind American Christian Coleman, who ran 9.82 seconds in 2017.

Ajayi is also the Nigerian athlete with the most sub-10s, running eight between April 2025 and May 2026.

The Nigerian will hope to secure his first NCAA title at the NCAA Championships in Oregon, which begin on June 10.