What a night for Nigerian athletics! Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi delivered outstanding performances at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships, with both athletes clinching national titles and rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

According to Cbinewstv, Nigerian sprint sensations Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi stole the spotlight at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, claiming the men's 100m and 400m titles respectively.

Representing Auburn University, Ajayi powered to victory in the men's 100m with a blistering 9.72 seconds. Although the time was faster than the African record of 9.77 seconds held by Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala, a tailwind of +2.2m/s meant the performance could not be recognised as an official record.

The triumph marks a major milestone for the 21-year-old, who finished fourth in the same event last year. Ajayi also became the first Nigerian to win the NCAA men's 100m title since Divine Oduduru achieved the feat in 2019.

Ajayi looked in complete control during the final, pulling away from his rivals in the closing metres. LSU's Jaiden Reid crossed the line in second place with 9.82 seconds, while Arkansas athlete Jelani Watkins finished third.

Earlier in the competition, Ajayi overcame a sluggish start in Wednesday's semi-final to clock 9.94 seconds and secured his place in the final ahead of Reid, who matched the Cayman Islands national record with a time of 9.95 seconds.

While the wind-assisted mark will not count as an official record, Ajayi's 9.72 seconds ranks among the fastest times ever recorded under any conditions and further cements his place among the world's elite sprinters this season.

In the men's 400m, Samuel Ogazi produced a performance for the ages as he successfully defended his NCAA title. The Alabama athlete stormed to victory in a remarkable 43.38 seconds, setting both a Nigerian national record and a new NCAA record.

Ogazi's stunning run eclipsed the previous NCAA mark of 43.61 seconds set by American star Michael Norman in 2018. The time also moved the 20-year-old to fourth on the all-time world rankings, behind only Wayde van Niekerk, Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds.

The Nigerian star dramatically improved on his previous personal best of 44.02 seconds, which he recorded in May during Alabama's regular-season finale against Georgia.

That earlier performance had already broken Innocent Egbunike's long-standing Nigerian record of 44.17 seconds, a mark that had stood since 1987, ending a 38-year wait for a new national record in the event.

Meanwhile, Auburn University's Israel Okon bounced back impressively after a disappointing outing in the 100m final, where he pulled up late and finished ninth. The Nigerian sprinter responded with a strong display in the men's 200m, finishing second in 19.99 seconds to record his best-ever finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

With Ajayi, Ogazi and Okon all delivering standout performances, the future of Nigerian sprinting looks brighter than ever.

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