Bori Akinola heads to the World Indoor Championships in Toruń in excellent form after a breakthrough 12 months that has seen him emerge as one of Ireland’s leading sprinters.
Competing for UCD AC, Akinola has firmly established himself at the top of the domestic sprint scene, ending long standing winning streaks and stepping into a leading role in Irish sprinting.
His rise began at the 2025 Irish Indoor Championships, where he produced a standout performance to win the 60 metres title, ending Israel Olatunde’s dominant run in the event and claiming his first national indoor crown.
Bori also formed part of the Irish men’s 4×100m relay team that broke the national record with a time of 38.92 in June 2025.
He followed that up during the outdoor season by winning the Irish 100 metres title, his first, confirming his place at the top of the domestic rankings and continuing his progression as one of Ireland’s leading sprinters.
The 2026 indoor season has taken things another level. Akinola has been in outstanding form on the European circuit, producing a series of fast times and strong performances.
His breakthrough moment came in Glasgow on January 31st, where he clocked 6.59 seconds, hitting the automatic qualifying standard for the World Indoor Championships.
He backed that up just over a week later in Serbia, where he ran a superb 6.54 seconds, breaking the Irish 60 metres record previously held by Israel Olatunde.
At the of February Akinola retained Irish indoor 60 metres title crown, claiming his second national indoor crown and underlining his consistency at the top level.
Toruń will mark Akinola’s first appearance at a World Championships, having already gained international experience at the European Indoor Championships last year.
Still early in his senior career, he arrives in Poland in excellent form, with this championship representing both a step up in class and a valuable opportunity to test himself against the world’s best.
Bori Akinola: Quick Facts
Event: 60 metres
Club: UCD AC
Indoor Personal Best
- 60m: 6.54 (2026 - Irish Record)
Outdoor Personal Bests
- 100m: 10.20 (2025)
Career Highlights
- 2× Irish 60m champion (indoor) & 1× Irish 100m champion (outdoor)
- Irish 60m indoor national record holder (2026)
- Competed at outdoor (2024) and indoor (2025) European Championships
- Member of Ireland’s national record 4×100m relay team (38.92, 2025)
2026 Indoor Season
- Won the Irish indoor 60m title, his second national crown
- Ran 6.59 in Glasgow (January 31st) to hit the World Indoor qualifying standard
- Broke the Irish 60m record with 6.54 in Serbia
- Won international meets in France and Glasgow
- Set to represent Ireland in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Toruń
We wish Bori every success this weekend in Poland