Ajayi confirmed for Diamond League final
Nigerian sprint sensation, Kayinsola Ajayi…Photo Credit: Sports Day Online
Nigerian record holder Kayinsola Ajayi has been confirmed to compete in the men’s 100m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels, Belgium, on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Wanda Diamond League Final will take place at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme in Brussels.
Although Ajayi did not qualify for the final through the points standings, he is eligible to compete as a global wildcard based on his world ranking this year.
According to the Diamond League rules, meeting organisers can invite up to four global wildcard athletes — two men and two women — to compete at the Wanda Diamond League Final.
“A global wild card athlete must have competed in at least one Diamond League meeting in the course of the season, and must fulfil at least one of the following criteria in their chosen discipline: World record holder, reigning world, Olympic or Diamond League champion, top five in the World Athletics rankings of their event, top 20 in the overall World Athletics rankings,” the rules state.
Ajayi makes the cut as the fourth-fastest man in the world in the 100m this year, behind Olympic champion Noah Lyles, world champion Oblique Seville and Commonwealth Games champion Emmanuel Eseme.
The 21-year-old has also won two Diamond League races this season, in London and at the Prefontaine Classic. Wheelchair American Football promotes inclusion in Nigeria Cricket: Akpata rewards W’Cup-bound U-19 girls with scholarships Golf: Nigeria Cup set for mini-festival at Ikoyi Club
However, the Diamond League rules also state that, “No competition which already contains a national wild card athlete can also contain a global wild card athlete.”
Already, Belgium’s Simon Verherstraeten has been added as a national wildcard to the men’s 100m line-up, but Ajayi can still race following the withdrawal of African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala.
In the event of victory, Ajayi will be crowned Diamond League champion and receive the Diamond Trophy, but will not receive the full prize money.
Ajayi has had a remarkable season, breaking the Nigerian 100m record with a time of 9.84 seconds at the 2026 NCAA Division I East First Round in the United States in May.
His mark lowered Olusoji Fasuba’s 20-year-old Nigerian record of 9.85 seconds.
He also won the NCAA title before adding Commonwealth Games bronze in the men’s 100m.
On Sunday, he ran the 15th sub-10-second race of his career in Switzerland.
Abiodun Adewale
Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years
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