World record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, has withdrawn from the final of this year’s Diamond League in Zurich.
The final Diamond League event of the year began in Zurich on Wednesday and climaxes on Thursday (today), with some of the world’s best athletes jostling for a $50,000 prize in top disciplines.
Amusan qualified for the event as the second-best athlete in the discipline this season, amassing 27 points.
She has, however, pulled out of the final and has been replaced by the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton.
The final field has Charlton, reigning world champion Danielle Williams and her Jamaican compatriot Ackera Nugent, Dutch runner Nadine Visser, Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland and her compatriot Selina von Jackowski as well as American trio Tonea Marshall, Grace Stark and Kendra Harrison.
Amusan also holds the meet record with a time of 12.29s, which she ran in September 2022 to claim her second Diamond League title.
The 28-year-old won three consecutive titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Amusan’s withdrawal might be a break to be in shape for the World Championships, which takes place next month in Tokyo, after she seemed to have stumbled on the first hurdle during her last race in the Lausanne Diamond League, where she finished fifth in a time of 12.82s.
In a related development, Turkey-linked Nigeria sprinter, Favour Ofili, has also been delisted from the women’s 200m event despite hitting the qualifying mark.
Meanwhile, the African record holder in the men’s 400mh, Ezekiel Nathaniel, will get a shot at the Diamond League title in Zurich, as he’s listed for the men’s 400mh event.
Nathaniel recorded his first pro career win when he competed in one of the events at the Lausanne Diamond League last week, winning in a time of 48.08s.
Udodi Onwuzurike, who made his Diamond League debut last week, has also been listed for the men’s 200m final.
