Ajayi, Ogazi win NCAA titles for Nigeria

Nigerian sprinters Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi achieved significant victories at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Both athletes claimed gold medals in their respective events, showcasing exceptional talent on the collegiate stage.

Representing Auburn University, Kayinsola Ajayi dominated the men's 100m final, crossing the finish line in a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds. While the strong tailwind of +2.2m/s rendered the time ineligible for an official African record, it cemented Ajayi's status as a leading sprinter. This victory marks his first NCAA outdoor title and makes him the first Nigerian to win the men's 100m since Divine Oduduru in 2019.

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The performance would have broken the African record of 9.77 seconds currently held by Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, but a tailwind of +2.2m/s rendered the mark ineligible for record purposes.

In the men's 400m, Samuel Ogazi delivered a spectacular performance to defend his NCAA title. He set a new national and collegiate record with a blistering time of 43.38 seconds, surpassing the previous NCAA record of 43.61 seconds set by Michael Norman in 2018. This remarkable achievement places Ogazi fourth on the all-time world list for the event.

Ogazi's performance also saw him improve his personal best from 44.02 seconds, a mark that had already broken Innocent Egbunike's 38-year-old Nigerian record of 44.17 seconds. Ajayi's Auburn teammate, Israel Okon, also achieved a notable result, finishing second in the men's 200m with a time of 19.99 seconds, his best performance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

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The performance elevated Ogazi to fourth on the all-time world list, behind only South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk and Americans Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds.