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The National Sports Commission (NSC) has hailed Team Nigeria sprint star Kayinsola Ajayi following his outstanding performance at the London Diamond League, where he equalled the Nigerian men’s 100m national record with a time of 9.84 seconds.
Ajayi delivered a world-class display on Saturday, clocking 9.84 seconds in a race run into a -0.7m/s headwind to claim victory ahead of Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, the reigning World Championship silver medallist, who finished second in 9.87 seconds.
The NSC described the performance as a major boost for Team Nigeria ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, which begin in four days.
In a statement issued by the Office of the Director General, the Commission congratulated Ajayi for matching the national record for the third time this season, noting that his consistency at the highest level reflects the quality of preparation within Team Nigeria’s camp.
The Commission said Ajayi’s victory in London sends a strong message to his rivals ahead of the Commonwealth Games, where he is expected to be one of Nigeria’s leading medal hopefuls in the men’s 100m.
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Also competing for Nigeria at the Diamond League meeting was Ezekiel Nathaniel, who finished fourth in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 48.30 seconds.
World record holder Karsten Warholm won the event in a meeting record of 46.61 seconds, while Emil Agyekum and Abderrahman Samba placed second and third respectively.
The NSC commended Nathaniel for holding his own against a world-class field and said the performances of both athletes have further strengthened confidence in Team Nigeria’s readiness for Glasgow 2026.
The Commonwealth Games will hold in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, with more than 3,000 athletes from across the Commonwealth expected to compete.
The Commission expressed confidence that Team Nigeria is well prepared to challenge for medals and uphold the country’s proud tradition at the Commonwealth Games.
