A strong wave of foreign-based Nigerian athletes, led by 2024 Olympic semi-finalist Kanyinsola Ajayi, NCAA standout Ramat Jimoh, and world record holder Tobi Amusan; have touched down in the country ahead of the 2025 National Athletics Trials.
The high profile event will begin on Friday, 1 August, at the Yabatech Sports Complex.
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The arrival of the big-name athletes has injected fresh excitement into the Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) final selection trials for the World Championships in Tokyo, quelling doubts over athlete commitment and putting lingering concerns about venue readiness to rest.
Olympic firepower meets domestic grit
Fresh off an electric 2024 season, Kanyinsola Ajayi returns home with form and fire.
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The 20-year-old, who made a semi-final appearance in the men’s 100m at the Paris Olympics and helped Nigeria bag a 4x100m silver at the African Championships in Douala, is now firmly in sprint royalty territory. In 2025, he has dipped under 10 seconds four times, including a sizzling PB of 9.92s (+1.6) at the NCAA Division I Championships in June.
For Ramat Jimoh, it’s a comeback trail worth watching. The 2022 national 800m champion impressed during the US collegiate season, posting a season-best 2:03.45 and anchoring a resilient 4x400m team. Now back on home soil, she’s gunning to reclaim her national crown in a stacked middle-distance field.
Hurdler Adaobi Tabugbo, 24, is also in red-hot form. She clocked a wind-aided 12.93s at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis and swept the 100m hurdles at the PVA High Performance Meet in Maryland. A key member of Nigeria’s 4x100m gold-winning squad at the 2024 African Championships, she is expected to go toe-to-toe with Amusan in what could be one of the most anticipated duels of the trials.
Return of the Veterans: Ogunlewe and Fakorede rejoin the mix
Veteran sprinter Seye Ogunlewe, a former national champion and 2015 All-Africa Games finalist, is also back in Lagos. Though now 33, the London-based sprinter still poses a threat in the 100m, his experience could be vital in forming a competitive relay unit.
He’s joined by Adekalu Fakorede, who famously anchored Nigeria’s winning 4x100m team at the 2021 National Trials in Lagos. Both athletes add depth and leadership to Nigeria’s sprint contingent at a time when relay qualification for Tokyo remains uncertain.
Relay Race against time: Qualification still on the Line
With Nigeria’s men’s and women’s relay teams still needing to hit qualification marks for Tokyo, these trials are more than a domestic showdown; they’re a race against the clock.
The World Athletics relay qualification window closes on 24 August, and unless Nigeria hosts international teams or secures invitations to competitive meets abroad, this week’s event could be one of the final opportunities to post qualifying times.
Lifting the Cloud: From venue confusion to full focus
Last week’s uncertainty around the venue, after World Athletics rejected Abeokuta’s MKO Abiola Stadium, had thrown the entire trials into limbo.
Athletes like 400m finalist Samuel Ogazi were unsure of travel plans or competition clarity.
But with Yabatech confirmed and Nigeria’s biggest names now fine-tuning on the Lagos track, the AFN has managed to steady the ship just in time.
READ ALSO: Amusan shines again in Oregon, unveils bold new look
All eyes on Friday night: Amusan, Ajayi set for Title defence
Running from 1 to 3 August, the trials will feature over 40 track and field events, with the spotlight firmly on the 100m finals Friday evening. Tobi Amusan, already Tokyo-bound, is expected to defend her national crown, while Ajayi will aim to fend off a younger, hungrier field to retain his.
It’s a critical window not just for national glory, but for athletes to solidify their spots on Team Nigeria, and, perhaps more urgently, give the country a lifeline in the relays.
One thing’s clear: Lagos is ready, and so are the stars.
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