Ghanaian sprinter, Abdul Rasheed Saminu, has expressed his elation after shattering the national 100m record last month.

Saminu clocked a blistering 9.86 seconds to win the NCAA East Preliminary Round, setting not only a new national record but also recording the fastest time in the world so far this year.

The 27-year-old, who was earlier named Male Athlete of the Year at the 2025 Stampede of Champions for his standout performances with the University of South Florida, has had a remarkable start to the season.

“It feels amazing,” Saminu said.

“I’ve worked incredibly hard and poured everything into achieving this milestone. My goal was to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo—and to do that while setting a national record makes it even more special.”

Saminu also competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he reached the semifinals in the 100m, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final.