Sports

Tokyo 2025: Ajayi, Okon, Storm into 100m Semifinals, as Enekwechi Finishes 5th in Shot Put at World Athletics Championships

Published

1 year ago

September 13, 2025

Ajayi, Okon impress as Nigeria battles ...

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria’s presence at the ongoing 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo was strongly felt on Day 1, as rising sprint stars Kayinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon Sunday delivered electrifying performances to book their spots in the men’s 100m semifinals.

On his World Championships debut, Ajayi produced one of the standout moments of the night, clocking a blistering 9.88s in his heat to smash his Personal Best (PB).

In doing so, he became the third-fastest Nigerian sprinter of all time behind Olusoji Fasuba (9.85s) and Divine Oduduru (9.86s). The 21-year-old has also etched his name further in history, recording five sub-10s this season, the most by any Nigerian in a single year, and tying the all-time national record for most sub-10s in a career.

Ajayi placed second in his heat behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who also set a new PB of 9.87s, with Jamaica’s Oblique Seville taking third in 9.93s.

Meanwhile, debutant Israel Okon Sunday showed remarkable composure in his first senior global outing, storming to victory in his heat with a time of 10.04s. Okon crossed the line ahead of Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (10.06s) and reigning Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs (10.20s), who won gold at the same venue four years ago.

The men’s 100m semifinals are set to be a thriller, with Ajayi lining up against Noah Lyles, Akani Simbine, Ackeem Blake, and Jacobs in Semi 1, while Okon faces Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, Leotlela, Courtney Lindsey, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Romell Glave, and Andre De Grasse in Semi 3.

In the field events, Nigeria’s Shot Put record-holder Chukwuebuka Enekwechi also impressed, advancing to the finals after throwing 20.83m in qualification.

In the final, Enekwechi battled bravely and narrowly missed out on a historic medal, placing 5th overall with a best effort of 21.52m in the sixth round.

Nigeria will return to action on Day 2 with more actions set to come in Tokyo.

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Sports

AACT 2026: 31 Days to Africa’s Big Sporting Gathering in Abuja

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The countdown to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) has officially entered the final month, with just 31 days to go before Africa’s leading women’s team golf championship tees off at the IBB International Golf & Country Club in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the AACT 2026Director of Communication Kayode Adeniyi on Friday in Abuja.

Under the theme “Africa Is Coming to Abuja,” the countdown campaign will spotlight the championship, the participating nations, the players, the host venue and the growing development of women’s golf across the continent.

The 2026 AACT, scheduled for November 2–7, will bring together women’s golfing talent from across Africa for six days of continental competition in Nigeria’s capital.

As preparations continue at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, attention is increasingly turning to Abuja, where the championship will provide a platform for African golfers to compete while also showcasing Nigeria’s hospitality and the country’s growing profile as a destination for major sporting events.

The countdown will feature daily stories, interviews, player and country profiles, tournament facts, behind-the-scenes updates and features on the host venue as the championship draws closer.

The campaign will also highlight the role of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), the Local Organising Committee and other stakeholders in preparing for the continental championship.

With just 31 days remaining, anticipation is building across the African golfing community as Abuja prepares to welcome the continent’s leading women golfers.

Africa is coming to Abuja.

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