Thanks to his performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he made it to the semi-finals, Ajayi, who is currently ranked 13th in the world this year, is one of the few Nigerian athletes to have qualified for the World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to 21.

Last weekend, the 20-year-old made his homecoming to race in the Nigeria National Trials in Lagos; however, he opted out of the 100-meter final to prevent a knock.

In the midst of the Nigerian championships, American athlete Kenny Bednarek achieved his greatest performance to date by winning the US Championships with a personal best time of 9.79 seconds. Other athletes followed with various achievements in the sub-10s.

“I don’t mind that I watched them running sub-10s. If I’m not there, it doesn’t matter what you run. It matters when I’m racing with you, and you need to demonstrate your abilities once more. Keep praying that we stay healthy, and the World Championships will be enjoyable.

At the 2025 Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, in April, Ajayi made history by becoming one of the few Nigerian athletes to run in under ten seconds. He won the men’s 100-meter race with a time of 9.96 seconds (+1.9 meters per second), kicking off his outdoor season with a bang.

Last month, he maintained his incredible form by winning the men’s 100-meter event at the Meeting International Sotteville-lès-Rouen in France with a personal best time of 9.92 seconds.