Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan on Sunday won gold in the Women’s 100 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA.
Nigeria left her best for the last day of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, U. S. by winning a gold and a silver medal.
The feat by the 25-year-old meant that she made history as the first Nigerian to win a world title and an unprecedented world record in one day.
Amusan first ran a blistering 12:12 seconds to shatter the world record of 12:20 seconds set by Kendra Harrison of U. S. in the semi-finals.
She then followed up with a (+2.5) wind assisted 12.06s in the final.
It was a race of contrasting emotions as the former champion was disqualified as her race came to a humiliating end, while Jamaica’s Brittany Anderson (12.23 secs) and Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho Quinn (12.23) settled for the silver and bronze respectively.
But as brilliant as their effort was, they all played second fiddle to Amusan who ran on lane four and became the first Nigerian to win a world title and an unprecedented world record in one evening.
The time in the final would however not be recognised as it was deemed to be well over the legal +2.0 wind assist allowed in Athletics
The latest feat served as a big consolation for Amusan after a disappointing Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she narrowly lost the bronze medal to Jamaica’s Megan Tapper, when she placed fourth.
The record breaking feat also enriched Amusan’s purse with 100,000 dollars (N165 million) as bonus from the organisers.
Amusan was the 2018 Commonwealth and 2018 African champion in the event.
She is also a two-time African Games champion.
She won the Diamond League Trophy in Zurich in 2021 in the 100m hurdles.
In 2022, during Paris Diamond League, Amusan broke a record and became third in the world.
Team Nigeria would go on to celebrate another podium finish in the Long Jump, with Ese Brume’s extraordinary effort.
The Commonwealth and Africa record holder, long jumper Brume leapt over 7.02m to clinch silver medal, behind rival Malika Mihambo of Germany who jumped a record 7.12m for the gold medal.
Brazil’s Oro Melo settled for Bronze with 6.89m jump.
Brume won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Watch video below:
🇳🇬🏅🥹 Tears of joy for new world record holder Tobi Amusan as she collects Nigeria's first ever World Championship gold! What a moment! 🤗 pic.twitter.com/0oAjQZLOJb
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) July 25, 2022
World Athletics Championship: Buhari celebrates track superstar, Amusan
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed heartfelt congratulations to Tobi Amusan for winning the women’s 100m hurdles gold for Nigeria at the World Athletics Championship 2022.
According to the president, Amusan has set a new world record in the semifinals of the athletic event and becoming the first Nigerian to win a World Championship.
In a congratulatory message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Monday in Abuja the president joined millions of Nigerians in celebrating this outstanding feat by a compatriot and two-time African Games champion, ”who in one night stunned the athletics world with her superlative and stellar performance”.
The feat by the 25-year-old meant that she made history as the first Nigerian to win a world title and an unprecedented world record in one day.
Amusan first ran a blistering 12:12 seconds to shatter the world record of 12:20 seconds set by Kendra Harrison of U. S. in the semi-finals.
She then followed up with a (+2.5) wind assisted 12.06s in the final.
The president thanked the track superstar for making ”the Nigerian national anthem resonate again from the international podium, leaving the nation with the excitement and unforgettable memories of tears of joy and triumph; hope and victory; incredulity and belief”.
According to him, the legendary career and achievements of the golden girl will continue to inspire the upcoming generations of Nigerian athletes to achieve spectacular success.
He also commended Ese Brume for representing Nigeria with honour and pride, winning silver medal in the Women’s long jump event.
The president lauded Team Nigeria for ”displaying courage, integrity and good sportsmanship at the world stage, proving that with hard work and determination, success is achievable”.