By: Kwame Bediako
Ghanaian sprinter, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu delivered a strong performance in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, September 13, 2025, finishing second in Heat 7 with a time of 10.09 seconds. His confident run, coupled with a reaction time of 0.188 seconds, secured him an automatic spot in the semi-finals.
South Africa’s Akani Simbine, one of Africa’s most seasoned sprinters, won the heat with a time of 10.02 seconds. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala took third place in 10.12 seconds, clinching the final automatic qualifying position for the next round of the championships.
Saminu’s time placed him ahead of several strong competitors, including Elvis Afrifa of the Netherlands, who finished fourth in 10.15 seconds, China’s Xinrui Deng (10.23s), and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who clocked 10.24 seconds. This solid ranking highlights his growing prominence on the international sprinting stage.
The heat also featured Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, who finished seventh with a time of 10.37 seconds, and Iraq’s Saif Al RamMahi, who completed the field in 10.58 seconds. Despite their efforts, they were unable to keep pace with the top finishers.
Saminu’s automatic qualification keeps Ghana’s ambitions alive in the men’s 100m event, especially after fellow Ghanaian Benjamin Azamati finished sixth in Heat 5 earlier in the day. The semi-finals are scheduled for Sunday, where Saminu will look to build on his impressive showing.
