Abdul-Rasheed Saminu has officially unseated Benjamin Azamati as Ghana’s top-ranked sprinter in 2025, following a string of sub-10.1 second finishes and a commanding national lead in recent competitions. With his most recent 100m performance clocking in at 9.97 seconds, Saminu now holds the fastest Ghanaian time of the season, signaling a seismic shift in the country’s sprinting hierarchy. According to a ranking analysis by Accra Street Journal, Saminu’s consistency and form have elevated him to the forefront of Ghanaian athletics, setting the stage for a fierce rivalry ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu has dethroned Benjamin Azamati as Ghana’s top-ranked men’s 100m sprinter, according to the latest World Athletics rankings released on May 20, 2025. Saminu, 27, now holds the 37th spot globally and 8th in Africa, marking a significant shift in Ghanaian sprinting dynamics.
Saminu’s impressive start to the 2025 season has been the driving force behind his rise to the top. At the Pepsi Florida Relays in April, he clocked a wind-assisted 9.87 seconds, showcasing his potential. He followed this up with a commanding 10.06-second victory at the East Coast Relays, improving his heat time by 0.16 seconds.
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Although a disqualification in the heats at the American Conference Outdoor Championships interrupted his momentum, Saminu’s early-season form has propelled him 13 places up the global rankings since January.
Azamati & Saminu
Meanwhile, Benjamin Azamati, also 27, remains a formidable competitor despite slipping to 38th globally and 9th in Africa. Azamati opened his season with a 10.07-second win at the Mt. SAC Relays in California and followed it up with a 10.02-second triumph at Arizona’s Desert Heat Classic.
His standout performance came at the Franson Last Chance meet in California, where he ran a season’s best of 9.93 seconds, just 0.06 seconds behind world No. 4 Fred Kerley of the USA.
The rivalry between Saminu and Azamati is expected to intensify as the season progresses. Both athletes have shown impressive form and are vying for dominance in Ghanaian sprinting.
Their performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they both qualified for the men’s 100m semi-finals, are a testament to their capabilities.
Last Updated on April 7, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
