Nigeria’s fastest man Kanyinsola Ajayi has officially turned professional after signing a new partnership with Adidas following his Commonwealth Games 100m bronze
Kanyinsola Ajayi Turns Professional, Signs Adidas Deal After Commonwealth Bronze
Nigeria’s fastest man, Kanyinsola Ajayi, has officially turned professional after announcing a new partnership with global sportswear giant Adidas.
The 21-year-old sprinter announced the move on his X page on Thursday, describing it as the start of a new chapter in his rapidly rising athletics career.
“I am grateful to God to finally announce that I am officially embarking on the next chapter of my journey—continuing my professional track and field career with adidas,” Ajayi said.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Ajayi produced one of the biggest performances of his young career at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where he won bronze in the men’s 100 metres.
Ajayi clocked 9.90 seconds in the final to become Nigeria’s first Commonwealth Games men’s 100m medallist in 20 years.
He finished behind Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who won gold in a Commonwealth Games record of 9.83 seconds, while Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy claimed silver in 9.85 seconds.
The Glasgow performance further underlined Ajayi’s emergence as one of Africa’s most exciting young sprinters. He had earlier won his semi-final in 9.94 seconds before producing another sub-10-second performance in the final.
Ajayi’s rise has been particularly striking given the speed with which he has transitioned into the senior ranks. Born on September 14, 2004, he is a two-time African U20 champion and an African Championships silver medallist, according to his World Athletics profile.
He also entered 2026 in impressive form, lowering the Nigerian 100m record to 9.84 seconds during the season. World Athletics lists his wind-assisted 9.72 seconds as his fastest performance of the year, while 9.84 seconds remains his legal personal best.
With two Diamond League victories already to his name, Ajayi has established himself among the world’s leading 100m sprinters, with World Athletics currently ranking him fifth globally in the event.
His development was already attracting attention before his Commonwealth Games breakthrough, particularly following a series of impressive performances at the NCAA level in the United States. His collegiate career gave him regular exposure to elite competition and helped accelerate his development.
Now, his move into professional athletics marks the end of his collegiate chapter and opens a new phase in his career.
The Adidas partnership is expected to give Ajayi greater opportunity to concentrate fully on the professional circuit as he targets major international competitions and seeks to build on his breakthrough 2026 season.
At just 21, Ajayi has significant room for further improvement, but his recent performances have already demonstrated that he can compete with some of the established names in global sprinting.
His next challenge will be turning his remarkable rise into sustained success on the international stage, with the World Championships, Olympic Games and other major meets likely to provide the platform for the next phase of his career.
