Kayinsola Ajayi could only manage a bronze medal in the men’s 100 meters race at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 21-year-old was beaten at the finish line by Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who recovered from a slow start to set a new Games record of 9.83 seconds and clinch the gold medal. Lachlan Kennedy pulled together a surprising race to claim the silver medal with a 9.85-second finish.
Ajayi clocked 9.90 seconds and settled for bronze despite entering the competition as the overwhelming favourite.
Ajayi had twice defeated Jamaica’s Seville Oblique, the reigning world champion, this year. But under the torrential downpour at the Scotstoun Stadium on Tuesday, the Ikorodu-born sprinter struggled to find the extra gear he needed to dash past his opponents.
For about the 80-meter mark, Ajayi was held stride for stride by Kennedy and looked to be settling for a silver
