Nigerian-born sprint hurdler Jared Ejiasian has set a new U18 world record in the men’s 60 metres hurdles.

The 16-year-old clocked an impressive 7.43 seconds in the final at the French U18 & U20 Championships held at Stade Couvert Jesse Owens on Saturday.

His time erased the previous seven-year-old record of 7.48 seconds set in 2019 by Sasha Zhoya, lowering it by five hundredths of a second.

Earlier this year, Ejiasian had already demonstrated his rising talent by winning the same event at the Tempo Run League indoor meet in January, where he posted 7.57 seconds to establish an African U18 record.

Representing the AC Nord Val d’Oise club in league competitions, Ejiasian surged ahead after clearing the second hurdle in Saturday’s race and powered through to the finish line in record-breaking fashion, securing his second victory of the season.

Born in Nigeria and relocated to France at just three months old, Ejiasian is currently competing under the Nigerian flag. However, reports indicate he has initiated the naturalisation process to obtain French citizenship and potentially represent France officially in future competitions.

In 2024, the teenager broke four French school records in the U14 category, including three successive records in the 200m hurdles and another in the 4x60m mixed relay, further underlining his exceptional promise in track and field.