Ghanaian sprinter Abdul-Rasheed Saminu fell just short of a place in the men’s 100m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, finishing fourth in his semi-final heat with a time of 10.08 seconds on Sunday, September 14, in Tokyo.
The 27-year-old, who holds Ghana’s national record of 9.86s, delivered a spirited run in Semi-final Heat 3 but could not keep pace with Jamaica’s eventual champion Oblique Seville and Botswana’s rising star Letsile Tebogo.
Making his debut at the World Championships, Saminu had earlier impressed in the preliminary rounds with a smooth 10.09s effort in Heat 7 on Saturday to secure his spot in the semis. His consistent performances reaffirmed his ability to compete among the world’s best.
Seville went on to stun defending champion Noah Lyles and Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson in the final, clinching gold in 9.77s—a victory witnessed by sprint legend Usain Bolt inside the Tokyo National Stadium.
Though Saminu missed out on the final, his showing was a major step forward for Ghanaian sprinting. His sub-10.10 runs highlight the country’s growing depth, even as teammate Benjamin Azamati was unable to advance beyond the preliminaries.
Saminu’s determination was clear throughout the weekend, telling JoySports after qualifying for the semis that his focus stretched beyond just participation—an attitude that reflects the mental toughness defining his career so far.
Attention now shifts to the men’s 4x100m relay, where Ghana has traditionally thrived. With clean baton exchanges, the team remains hopeful of challenging for a podium finish.
Born October 6, 1997, Saminu currently ranks 41st in the world 100m and 42nd in the 200m, marking him as one of Africa’s leading sprinters. His Tokyo campaign may not have ended in a medal, but it has strengthened his case as a future contender on the global stage.
