United States-based Nigerian sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi, at the weekend, clocked 9.97 seconds to finish third in the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Final in Brussels. He became the first Nigerian to do so since the inception of the Diamond League in 2010.

While Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won the race in 9.90 seconds, Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme finished second in 9.93 seconds.

Ajayi’s 9.97-second mark was his 16th sub-10-second performance of the season.

Speaking with The Guardian, yesterday, a former Head Coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Seigha Porbeni said: “Ajayi’s short sprint achievement is just a confirmation of the fact that we have always had gifted sprinters back in the country.

“As far back as the 1990s with Chidi Imo, Olopade Adelekan, the Ezewa brothers (Desmond and David), Seun Ogunkoya and Olusoji Fasuba’s 9.85 seconds in 2006.

“Now, 20 years later, Ajayi has come up with his 9.84s to shatter the national record. We have the talents, we also have competent coaches and manageable facilities but complete absence of quality competitions has been our bane, sadly.

“The Diamond League started after Fasuba had retired, but his time remained the best until 2026, when Ajayi came in to break it. It is anticipated that Sunday Okon, Favour Ashe and Adekalu Fakurode may still join Ajayi.

“If the CAA High Performance Centre in UNIPORT can be revived by the current leadership of the NSC, the country will now have an incubator for the grooming of U14, U17 and the Elite athletes,” Porbeni stated.