Nigerian sprinter Favour Ashe is targeting a clean sweep of all races this season with another sight on the final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after running the fastest time in the world this season on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ashe ran 9.99s in the men’s 100m at the Florida Relays and it has been officially approved as the world lead in 2024 by the World Athletics.
He is also the 12th Nigerian to break the 10s mark.
Competing in his first outdoor race of the season and his second overall in 2024, Ashe became the first man in the world this season to run a sub-10 and instantly struck the Paris 2024 Olympic standard with his fast time.
He beat the field by a mile, with Jamarion Stubbs coming in second in 10.18s and Jamal Miller third in 10.19s.
After the race, the 21-year-old says he is looking forward to a more productive season.
“Last year didn’t really go as planned, I had a conversation with my coach and my goal for this season is winning it all. Hopefully I can make it to the Olympic and make it into the final, and we go from there,” Ashe told Citius Mag.
Ashe is the second Nigerian to produce a world lead this year after African Games gold medallist, Consider Ekanem, ran 10.10s at the inaugural Dynamic Outdoor Meet held on January 27 at the Nigerian Navy Sports Centre, Ojo, Lagos.
He will also hope to put Nigeria in the final of the men’s 100m again at the Olympics, after Enoch Adegoke became the first man since Davidson Ezinwa and Olapade Adeniken to reach the 100m final of the Olympic Games.
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