Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Wanda Diamond League / Punch Nigeria
Ajayi Makes History With Diamond League Bronze in Brussels

Nigerian sprint star Kanyinsola Ajayi has ended his breakout 2026 season on a high, winning bronze in the men’s 100m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels.

The 21-year-old clocked 9.97 seconds to finish third in a stacked final at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme on Friday night. Jamaica’s world champion Oblique Seville won the race in 9.90s, while Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme took silver in 9.93s.

With the result, Ajayi became the first Nigerian man ever to secure a podium finish in the 100m at a Diamond League final. He will receive $10,000 in prize money for the third-place finish.

The bronze caps what has been a historic debut professional season for Ajayi. In May, he ran a personal best of 9.84s to break Olusoji Fasuba’s 20-year-old Nigerian record in the men’s 100m.

Earlier this year, he also swept the NCAA titles — winning the 60m indoors and the 100m outdoors with a wind-aided 9.72s — and added a bronze medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Ajayi entered the Brussels final as a wildcard invitee and is now expected to return to the United States to continue his studies and begin preparations for the 2027 season.

Source: Punch Nigeria –