Nigeria’s sprint duo Kanyinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon lit up the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday, storming into the men’s 100m semi-finals with performances that announced their arrival on the global stage.

Ajayi, 20, produced the race of his life in the opening heat, clocking 9.88s, the third fastest time ever by a Nigerian sprinter. Only Olusoji Fasuba (9.85s) and Divine Oduduru (9.86s) have ever gone quicker.

Finishing second behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela (9.87s), Ajayi cemented his place among Nigeria’s sprinting elite and became the country’s most prolific sub-10 performer with five such runs this season.

Israel Okon, just 18, followed up with a fearless victory in his own heat, crossing in 10.04s ahead of Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs.

The teenager, who has a personal best of 9.98s, was defiant afterwards: “I’m not scared of anyone. I have two legs, you have two legs too. We’re good to go.”

Both men will line up in a loaded semi-final field featuring Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, Andre De Grasse and Leotlela, but their blistering form has increased Nigeria’s medal hope.

It was not all success for Team Nigeria, however, as Ese Brume and several others exited their events on a mixed day in Tokyo.