Nigerian sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi secured third place in the men’s 100 metres at the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium, closing out his debut professional season with a podium finish.
The 21-year-old crossed the line in 9.97 seconds, finishing behind Jamaican winner Oblique Seville, who clocked 9.90 seconds, and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who took runner-up spot with a time of 9.93 seconds.
Ajayi’s bronze medal performance marks the first time a Nigerian athlete has reached the podium in the men’s 100m at a Diamond League final. The result earns him a $10,000 cash prize for his third-place finish.
The outing in Brussels rounds off a breakthrough season for Ajayi, highlighted by a personal best of 9.84 seconds earlier in the year, which shattered Olusoji Fasuba’s 20-year-old Nigerian national record in the event.
His 2026 campaign also included a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as National Collegiate Athletic Association titles in both the men’s 60m indoor and 100m outdoor events. He claimed the NCAA 100m crown with a wind-aided time of 9.72 seconds.
Ajayi is now set to return to the United States, where he will resume his academic studies and begin preparations for the 2027 season.
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