Sports
Tokyo 2025: Ajayi, Okon, Storm into 100m Semifinals, as Enekwechi Finishes 5th in Shot Put at World Athletics Championships
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.
Sports
Nigeria Jets Out Tuesday for 2025 Hockey AFCON as Federation President Engr Nkom Backs Teams for Podium Finish
Joel Ajayi
With the 2025 Hockey African Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to take place in Egypt from October 11 to 18, both the men’s and women’s national hockey teams are set to depart Nigeria on October 7, brimming with confidence and determination to make the nation proud.
The President of the Hockey Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Engineer Simon Nkom, speaking after a series of friendly matches at the Hockey Pitch, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, said the teams’ early preparation and intensive training camps have positioned them for a successful outing in Egypt.
“In sports—whether it’s hockey, handball, or basketball—fitness is key. That’s why we began camping weeks ago to build the players’ strength and resilience ahead of this major competition. This is the African Cup of Nations—the highest level of hockey on the continent. We’ve prepared well, and I’m confident our teams will finish on the podium,” he stated.
Nkom highlighted the significant progress Nigerian hockey has recorded in recent years, noting that the country’s world ranking improved from 56th to 36th, while in Hockey 5s, Nigeria now stands 12th globally.
“A few years ago, people barely knew hockey existed in Nigeria. Today, our women’s team ranks 3rd in Africa, and the men’s team is 4th. This growth is a product of deliberate grassroots development and consistent effort,” he added.
To ensure smooth participation and avoid past challenges of late arrivals at tournaments, the federation has finalized logistics for early departure.
“We’ve made all arrangements for the teams to leave early to acclimatize and play friendly matches before the competition begins. The players are motivated, relaxed, and ready to give their best. By God’s grace, they will return home with their heads held high,” Nkom assured.
The HFN President also lauded the federation’s board members for their commitment and teamwork over the past four years, which he said has greatly contributed to the sport’s steady rise in Nigeria.
Head coach Ndana Baba Abdullahi, who oversees both the men’s and women’s teams, praised the federation’s support and lauded the players’ work ethic throughout the extended training camp.
“We’ve worked very hard — morning and evening sessions, tactical drills, conditioning. The players have responded excellently. We started with 35 players and are now down to the final 18 who will make the trip,” Abdullahi said, adding that the early arrival in Egypt would give Nigeria a crucial psychological and tactical edge.
Men’s team captain, Michael John, expressed confidence in the squad’s readiness and determination to make history in Egypt.
“We’re perfectly fine — we’ve trained hard and prepared well,” he said. “We’re just waiting for the whistle to blow. By God’s grace, we won’t disappoint our country or those who worked hard to send us there.”
Similarly, women’s team captain, Alfa Cornelius, echoed optimism about the team’s prospects.
“We’ve been camping for over a month, and the coaches have done a wonderful job. We’ve worked hard to match our opponents in both strength and skill. I’m 100% confident that we’ll perform excellently in Egypt,” she said.
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