Former Nigerian sprinter and African record holder in the men’s 100m, Olusoji Fasuba, emphasized that Kayinsola Ajayi and Favour Ashe, who represented Nigeria in the men’s 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, have more to offer the country. They should showcase their talent by first dominating the continent, reports PUNCH Sports Extra.
Both Ajayi and Ashe didn’t make it to the men’s 100m semi-finals, finishing sixth in their respective races. The final, won by America’s Noah Lyles, was considered the deepest 100m race in history.
Ashe, 22, improved his performance from the heats with a time of 10.08s, while Ajayi, 19, ran 10.16s in the second semi-final. Although they missed the final, Fasuba believes they still have much to contribute to Nigerian athletics.
Reflecting on their performances, Fasuba highlighted that Ashe had an impressive start but seemed to slow down later. He stressed the need for support from Nigeria for Ashe and Ajayi to continue developing.
Regarding Godson Brume, who missed the Olympics due to injury but has a personal best of 9.90s, Fasuba expressed confidence in his comeback.
Fasuba encouraged Ajayi to keep working hard and seek experience in Europe, emphasizing the potential of all three athletes to elevate Nigerian athletics. He reminded them to focus on conquering Africa before aiming for global recognition.
Fasuba’s own achievements include winning the African Championships title in 2004 and securing bronze in the 4 x 100m relay at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.