Ajayi, Ezekiel make competitive returns in Poland

Nigerian sprinters Kanyinsola Ajayi and Ezekiel Nathaniel are set to return to competition at the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland on Sunday. This marks their first outing since their strong performances at the Commonwealth Games.

Ajayi will participate in the 100m race, with preliminary rounds scheduled for Sunday afternoon and the final later the same day. His Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow saw him win a bronze medal in the 100m with a time of 9.90 seconds. This achievement made him Nigeria's first male 100m medalist at the Games in two decades. He has had a record-breaking season, improving the Nigerian 100m record to 9.84 seconds and clocking a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds. The 21-year-old, who recently turned professional after signing with Adidas, is currently ranked fifth globally in the men's 100m by World Athletics and has secured two Diamond League victories this season.

Nathaniel will compete in the 400m hurdles final. He also achieved gold at the Commonwealth Games, finishing in 48.47 seconds. The 23-year-old holds the Nigerian record of 47.86 seconds. Nathaniel has been a consistent performer in the 400m hurdles over the past four years, reaching the semi-finals at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, and at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He also won the 2025 NCAA Outdoor title during his time at Baylor University in the United States.