Former Head coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Seigha Porbeni, has described the 9.84 seconds clocked by U.S.-based Nigerian sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi over the weekend as a “major achievement.” Ajayi made history in the men's 100m at the NCAA East Regionals, powering to a new Personal Best (PB) time of 9.84s (0.4) to win his race and secure qualification for the NCAA Championships.
This performance broke the Nigerian record of 9.85s set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006. Ajayi now holds the title of the fastest man in the world so far in 2026, taking over the World Lead.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Porbeni said: “This further proves that we have always had great coaches and talented athletes.” He emphasized that the primary issue lies with administrators who fail to provide an adequate competitive atmosphere and enviable welfare packages. “We cannot provide quality competitions that would inspire the corporate bodies jostling for a space to come into athletics,” he added.
Porbeni noted that even before Fasuba, Okagbare, Igor, and Oduduru, Nigeria had athletes like Ezenwas, Agbebaku, Falilat, Onyali, and many others. “It is the high value placed on sports by the administrators that translates to great performances,” he explained.
According to him, many athletes come from below-average financial backgrounds. “Yet they are now expected to transport, accommodate, and feed themselves to competitions. They have to procure spikes running shoes that cost hundreds of thousands of naira for themselves. They are now expected to procure their international passport to go and represent their motherland.”
Porbeni concluded that over 80 percent of discovered talents, future Ajayis and Fasubas, are lost before their first National Youth Games due to these challenges.
