Bori Akinola
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Toluwabori Akinola |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Born | 6 August 2001 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Sprint |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 60m: 6.61 (2025) 100m: 10.28 (2025) 200m: 21.42 (2025) |
Toluwabori Akinola (born 6 August 2001) is an Irish sprinter. in 2025, he became Irish national champion over 60 metres.[1]
Early life
In September 2017, he emigrated to Ireland from Lagos, Nigeria with his mother, older brother and younger sister. He attended Community College in Balbriggan.[2]
Career
Akinola was a relative late-starter to athletics, and was 17 years-old when he went to his first training session in 2018 in Santry with Fingallians Athletics Club.[2]
Competing in July 2022 at the National under-23 Championships in Tullamore, he finished second in the 100 metres in 10.30.[2] In 2023, he won a silver medal at the Irish Athletics Championships in the 100 metres, both behind Israel Olatunde.[3] He was second behind Olatunde again at the 2024 Irish Championships. The pair were teammates in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 European Athletics Championships, Akinola's first major championship.[2][4][5]
In January 2025, he lowered his 60 metres personal best to 6.65 seconds.[6] He won the 60 metres title at the Irish Indoor Athletics Championship at Abbotstown on 23 February 2025, running 6.61 seconds.[7] The time put him joint-second on the Irish all-time list alongside Paul Hession, behind only the national record of 6.57 by Israel Olatunde, who finished third in the race.[8] The first national title came despite the fact he had been nursing a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the race.[9] He qualified for the Irish team for the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn.[10] At the Championships, he ran 6.66 seconds to reach the semi-finals of the 60 metres race.[11]
On 21 June 2025, alongside Michael Farrelly, Marcus Lawlor and Israel Olatunde, he set a new Irish 4x100 metres relay record running a time of 38.92 seconds at a World Continental Tour Meeting in Switzerland.[12] He was selected for the Irish team to run the 100 metres at the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships Second Division in Maribor in June 2025.[13]
Personal life
He studied computer science at University College Dublin, and later worked as an iOS engineer.[2]
References
- ^ "Bori Akinola". World Athletics. Retrieved 23 Feb 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Kissane, Sinead (20 Feb 2025). "'When I ran 10.30 that was fifth fastest of all time. I was 21. I didn't know what I had done' – Bori Akinola on making up for lost time". Independent.ie. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ Newman, Jason (25 June 2023). "Dundalk sprinter makes it three in a row at National Championships". Dundalk Examiner. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ "European Championships: Irish in action on Day 5". RTE. 12 Jun 2024. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ Dennehy, Cathal (11 June 2024). "European Athletics Championships: Sharlene Mawdsley's anchor leg to win 4x400m heat makes up for her poor final run". Independent.ie. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ Williams, Perri (20 January 2025). "PERSONAL BESTS FOR LYNCH AND AKINOLA". Runulster. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ "Kelly and Akinola among winners at Irish Indoors". BBC Sport. 23 Feb 2025. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ Dennehy, Cathal (23 Feb 2025). "Bori Akinola powers his way to indoor sprint title as Sharlene Mawdsley cruises home in 400m final". Kndependent.ie. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ "Healy, Mawdsley and Akinola win National Indoor titles". RTE. 23 Feb 202. Retrieved 24 Feb 2025.
- ^ "Akinola, Doyle and McCann added to Irish team for European Indoor Athletics Championships". Irish Examiner. 25 Feb 2025. Retrieved 25 Feb 2025.
- ^ Dennehy, Cathal (8 March 2025). "Dubliner Sarah Healy eyeing up her first senior international medal at European Athletics Indoor Championships". Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ^ "Irish men set new national record in 4x100m relay". RTE. 21 Jun 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ Dennehy, Cathal (27 June 2025). "Ireland gear up for European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia". Independent.ie. Retrieved 28 June 2025.