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Ghana’s fastest man Abdul-Rasheed Saminu has narrowly missed out on a place in the men’s 100m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, extending the country’s two-decade wait for representation on that stage.
Saminu, who had impressed in the heats with a composed second-place finish in Heat 7, qualified for the semi-finals full of confidence and declared his ambition to push into the medal race.
However, despite a spirited effort, he fell just short of booking a lane in the final.
Saminu missed out on the 100m final narrowly with a timeof 10.08s in semifinal Heat 3 today.
His exit means Ghana’s absence from the men’s 100m final at the World Championships now stretches to 20 years. The last athlete to achieve that feat was Aziz Zakari, who reached the final in 2005.
The 22-year-old had earlier credited a balanced NCAA season for keeping him fresh and ready for the Championships, as well as his confidence after beating top names like South Africa’s Akani Simbine in the continental tour.
Yet, the semi-final proved a step too far this time.
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Despite the disappointment, Saminu’s run in Tokyo highlights Ghana’s ongoing presence in global sprinting. This was his debut at the World Athletics Championships, and he will hope to return more experienced as Ghana continues to search for a World Champion.
His progress suggests brighter prospects ahead as the country continues to seek another finalist in the men’s 100m, a milestone that has eluded the nation since Zakari’s historic achievement two decades ago.
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