World Athletics Championship: Amusan storms to 100m hurdles final

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has qualified for the final of the 100m hurdles event at the ongoing 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Amusan, who ran in lane seven, returned in time of 12.56 seconds to finish first in the Heat 2 of the semifinal, to ensure she booked her place in the final. In spite of a slow start, the reigning world champion recovered in time, clocking to finish ahead of Jamaican Achkara Nungent and Dutch Nadine Visser, who finished in time of 12.60s and 12.62s, respectively. Amusan has now qualified for her third consecutive world championship final. Former World Record holder Kendra Harrison won the first semifinal race in 12.33s, while Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took Heat 3 in 12.41s, ahead of Nia Ali in 12.49s. The 26-year-old Amusan had set the world record at the 2022 World Championship in Eugene, U.S. She had her anti-doping suspension provisionally lifted just before the commencement of the championship. The 2023 World Athletics Championship which started on August 19 is expected to end on August 27.

Wanda Diamond League: Amusan wins 100m hurdles, sets new record

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan at the weekend, set a new record as she won the 100 metres hurdles in the Wanda Diamond League at the Silesia Stadium, in the City of Chorzó, Poland. Amusan, who is also the world record holder in women’s 100m hurdles, won the race ahead of the U.S. duo, Kendra Harrison and Ali Nia. She also set a new meeting record and a new season’s best of 12.34 seconds in the process. The reigning world champion only won on the finish line by fractions of seconds, in a typical photo finish. Harrison Kendra was also given the same 12.34 seconds, whilst Ali Nia placed third with a time of 12.38 seconds. Megan Tapper of Jamaica ran a time of 12.49 seconds to finish fourth in the race. “It was not easy for me with injuries in my hamstring and knee. “But I trusted in my coach and my work. It’s all about the process. I just won this in a smooth style. “I was just running and honestly I had no idea that I had won when I crossed the finish line,” Amusan told reporters after the race. Amusan’s blistering record-setting performance came on the heels of her recent comfortable win in the Nigerian national trials in Benin. She had won in a time of 12.70 seconds, in wet conditions to book her ticket to the world championships, in Budapest. It was the third time in a row that she had won the national title. The 26-year old Amusan had, prior to the Nigerian trials, defeated Sarah Avalanche of Ireland, who finished second in 12.73 seconds. Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland claimed the bronze medal in 12.78 seconds, to win the Stockholm Diamond League with an impressive time of 12.52 seconds. The double Commonwealth Games champion will go on to defend her world title, and possibly her world record of 12.12 seconds, at the World Athletics Championships, in Hungary, Budapest from Aug. 19 to 27. Amusan has finished second, fourth, and eighth in her last three outings of the season. This was prior to her inspiring run in Stockholm, where she won with a time of 12.52 seconds. With the world precisely one month away, it will be interesting to see how the Ogun state-born hurdler handles the immense weight of expectations from fans, sponsors, and even herself.