Tokyo 2025: Nigeria Records Historic Feats at World Athletics Championships
By The9JaTREND
Nigeria’s track and field team made history at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with sprinter Tobi Amusan, Kanyinsola Ajayi and hurdler Tobi Amusan delivering standout performances that reignited hope in the country’s athletics.
Ajayi, who turned 20 on the day of the men’s 100m final, became the first Nigerian male athlete to reach the event’s final in 18 years. He clocked 9.88 seconds in the heats, a personal best that ranked him as the third-fastest Nigerian sprinter in history. He followed up with 9.93 seconds in the semifinals, finishing behind world champion Noah Lyles to secure a spot in the final.
In the final race, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville claimed gold in 9.79 seconds, while Ajayi placed sixth with a time of 10.00 seconds. Despite missing out on a medal, his qualification ended nearly two decades of Nigeria’s absence in the men’s 100m final.
On the women’s side, Tobi Amusan returned to the podium after a turbulent year that included disqualification from the Paris Olympics in 2024. The world record holder battled through a shaky start in the heats of the 100m hurdles, where she placed fifth in 12.53 seconds. She regained form in the semifinals, running 12.36 seconds to top the overall standings.
In the final, Amusan finished in 12.29 seconds to secure the silver medal, behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji. The medal marked Nigeria’s first podium finish at the championships.
Nigeria also came close to another medal through Ezekiel Nathaniel, who set a new national record of 47.11 seconds in the men’s 400m hurdles, placing fourth.
In total, four Nigerian athletes reached finals in Tokyo, with one silver medal and two national records achieved. Nigeria ended the championships ranked 27th on the medal table.
Sports analysts and fans have described the performances as a major boost for Nigerian athletics, highlighting both Amusan’s redemption and Ajayi’s breakthrough as signs of renewed promise for the future of track and field in the country.
