Amusan, Ajayi, Nathaniel chase Diamond League history in Brussels

Nigeria’s Oluwatobiloba Amusan, Kanyisola Ajayi and Ezekiel Nathaniel will headline the country’s challenge at the 2026 Wanda Diamond League final in Brussels, with all three athletes targeting historic victories in their respective events.

The season-ending meeting at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme presents Amusan with an opportunity to respond to the loss of her world 100m hurdles record, while Ajayi and Nathaniel are seeking their first Diamond League titles.

For Amusan, Saturday’s women’s 100m hurdles final could provide a chance to reclaim the spotlight after American Olympic champion Masai Russell lowered the world record from 12.12 seconds to 12.09 seconds in Zurich last week.

The Nigerian set the previous record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, where she clocked 12.12 seconds on her way to the world title.

Russell has enjoyed the upper hand in their meetings this season, defeating Amusan four times. But with the Diamond League trophy at stake in Brussels, Amusan will be hoping to reverse that trend and add another major title to her collection.

The 29-year-old, who is competing in her first Diamond League final since 2023, is also chasing what would be her fourth Diamond League crown.

She will face a strong field that includes world indoor champion Devynne Charlton and Dutch hurdler Nadine Visser.

In the men’s 100m final, Ajayi will arrive with considerable momentum after securing a global wildcard for the event.

The 21-year-old Nigerian record holder has already claimed Diamond League victories in Eugene and London this season, recording 9.84 seconds on both occasions.

A victory in Brussels would make Ajayi the first Nigerian man to win the Diamond League 100m title.

His head-to-head record against several leading contenders should also give him confidence. Ajayi has beaten Jamaica’s Oblique Seville three times in five encounters, while he has a 4-1 advantage over South Africa’s Akani Simbine and leads Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme 4-2.

He is also unbeaten against American Trayvon Bromell, although his record against Christian Coleman, Lachlan Kennedy and Gift Leotlela is more evenly matched.

Seville, the reigning world champion, remains among the major obstacles standing between Ajayi and a historic Diamond Trophy.

Nathaniel will meanwhile return to the Diamond League final with unfinished business after finishing second in the 400m hurdles at last year’s edition.

The 23-year-old Nigerian has posted 47.37 seconds this season and owns a personal best of 47.11 seconds.

His principal threat in Brussels will be Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who arrives as the new world-record holder after producing a stunning 45.80 seconds in Zurich last week.

Dos Santos erased Karsten Warholm’s previous world record by 0.14 seconds. Warholm, however, will not compete in Brussels, reducing the number of elite contenders Nathaniel will have to overcome.

Despite Warholm’s absence, Nathaniel is likely to require a significant improvement on his season’s best if he is to challenge Dos Santos for the title.

Beyond the individual trophies, the Brussels final carries additional significance for athletes competing in events included in the World Athletics Ultimate Championship programme.

Winners of those Diamond League events will secure automatic qualification for the US$10 million championship showdown scheduled for the following week in Budapest, Hungary.

For Nigeria, victories by Amusan, Ajayi or Nathaniel would provide a major boost to the country’s athletics fortunes and offer a welcome sporting headline amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the leadership crisis at the Nigeria Football Federation.