The 20-year-old Nigerian continued his remarkable rise in world athletics by winning the men's 100 metres at Saturday's Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon, defeating a star-studded field that included reigning world champion Oblique Seville and former world champion Christian Coleman.
Ajayi crossed the finish line in 9.84 seconds in legal wind conditions (+0.1m/s), finishing ahead of Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who clocked 9.89 seconds, while American Olympian Christian Coleman placed third in 9.95 seconds. Fellow American Kenneth Bednarek finished fourth in 9.96 seconds.
The victory came just weeks after Ajayi claimed his maiden NCAA Outdoor Championships title, further cementing his status as one of the fastest sprinters in the world this season.
Although Seville exploded out of the blocks, Ajayi displayed impressive acceleration, overtaking the Jamaican around the 30-metre mark before powering away from the field to secure an emphatic victory at Hayward Field.
Speaking after the race, the Nigerian record holder said competing on the professional circuit did not feel significantly different from racing in the NCAA because the collegiate system had already exposed him to enormous pressure.
"It feels like the same thing to me. Like competing in the NCAA and the pressure in the NCAA. If I could overcome the pressure in the NCAA that means I can overcome any pressure at pro level, so it’s still the same thing to me, nothing different," Ajayi told Diamond League after the race.
The sprinter also revealed the formula behind his continued progress, saying discipline and consistency remain central to his development.
"Consistency, practice and just stay healthy and just trust myself and trust my coach," he said.
Ajayi's winning time of 9.84 seconds matched the Nigerian national record he established in May when he eclipsed Olusoji Fasuba's long-standing mark at the NCAA East Regional Championships, ending a record that had stood for two decades.
He reinforced his outstanding form by winning the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June with a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds, a performance that, although ineligible for record purposes because of excessive wind assistance, highlighted his exceptional speed and growing reputation on the global stage.
Fasuba's previous Nigerian record of 9.85 seconds was set at the Doha Grand Prix in May 2006 and stood as the African record at the time before it was eventually surpassed.
The current African men's 100m record belongs to Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala, who ran 9.77 seconds in Nairobi in September 2021.
With victories at both the collegiate and professional levels this season, Ajayi has rapidly emerged as one of Nigeria's brightest athletics prospects and a strong contender for medals at future global championships.