Nigeria enjoyed mixed fortunes at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday, with Israel Okon and Kanyinsola Ajayi advancing in the men’s 100m while Ese Brume and several other athletes were eliminated from their events.

Eighteen-year-old Okon declared he fears nobody after storming to victory in his 100m heat to book his place in the semi-finals. The national champion clocked 10.04s in heat six, finishing ahead of Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, who ran 10.06s, and Italy’s Lamont Jacobs, who posted 10.20s.

“Yeah, it went well. I’m very happy right now. Actually, I qualified to the semi-final. I’m the happiest,” Okon said trackside after the race.

When asked about lining up against established names in the semi-final, which includes Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, South Africa’s Gift Leotlela and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, Okon rejected any notion of intimidation.

“Like I said, I’m not scared of anyone. I have two legs. You have two legs too. We’re good to go. I’m ready. That’s all,” he told reporters.

The Auburn University student, who has a personal best of 9.98s, had spoken before the championships of his ambition to reach the 100m final in his first global outing for Nigeria. “My goal is to make it to the final and to be the youngest athlete in that final. I want to show that anything is possible, no matter your age or background,” he said.

Kanyinsola Ajayi also stormed into the history books after clocking a blistering 9.88s in the men’s 100m heats, becoming Nigeria’s third fastest man of all time. The 20-year-old finished second in heat one behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who ran a personal best of 9.87s, while Jamaica’s Oblique Seville crossed the line in 9.93s.

Only two Nigerians have ever gone quicker, with Olusoji Fasuba holding the national record of 9.85s and Divine Oduduru following closely at 9.86s. Ajayi’s performance marks his fifth sub-10 race this season, making him Nigeria’s most prolific sub-10 performer and surpassing the standards previously set by Favour Ashe.

Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi finished fifth in the men’s shot put final, recording a best throw of 21.52m. The national record-holder ended just outside the podium positions after securing his place in the final with a throw of 20.83m in qualification, advancing to his third consecutive global final.

In the medal showdown, Enekwechi opened with 20.90m, fouled his second attempt, and followed with 20.59m before finding his rhythm to reach his best mark of 21.52m. The gold medal went to Ryan Crouser of the USA with a season’s best of 22.34m, while Mexico’s Uziel Muñoz claimed silver with a national record of 21.97m. Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri took bronze at 21.94m, with New Zealand’s Tom Walsh matching Fabbri’s distance but settling for fourth on countback.

However, Nigeria’s hopes of a place on the podium in the women’s long jump ended as both Ese Brume and Prestina Ochonogor failed to progress from the qualification round. Brume, 29, recorded a best of 6.46m in Group B, finishing tenth in the group and 19th overall. She finished 14cm shy of the last qualifier, whose best was 6.60m.

Ochonogor, 19, who was making her world championships debut, managed 6.05m in Group A to place 16th in the pool and 33rd overall, leaving her 55cm adrift of the final cut. The automatic qualifying standard for the final was 6.75m, with only four competitors exceeding that mark in qualification.

Rosemary Chukwuma also crashed out of the women’s 100m heats, finishing outside the top three automatic slots in heat 2 and missing out on the fastest losers’ places. Jamaica’s Tina Clayton and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith dominated the race, advancing comfortably alongside Poland’s Ewa Swoboda.

Nigeria’s challenge in the women’s discus ended in the first round, with Obiageri Amaechi and Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons both missing out on places in the final. Amaechi opened with a throw of 55.69m before managing 48.82m on her second attempt and was unable to find the improvement needed on her final effort.