Athletics Championships: Tobi Amusan sets world record twice

… first Nigerian gold medalist

Twice on Sunday night (early hours in Nigeria), Nigerian athlete, Tobi Amusan set a world record, and won the 100 metres hurdles in style at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.

Amusan’s heroic and Ese Brume’s silver winning leap in the Women’s long jump gave Team Nigeria something to finally cheer as the championship ended on Sunday night.

Amusan set the World Record twice before she was crowned the world champion in the 100m hurdles while Brume needed to dig deep for her silver in the long jump.

After improving on her African record during the heats winning with 12.40 seconds (+1.5), Amusan was expected to be on to bigger things in the semifinal. The 25-year-old went beyond expectation in the semifinal clocking 12.12 seconds to annul former world record of 12.20 seconds held by Keni Harrison of the United States set in 2016.

“I wanted to get out and go”, said Amusan after the race. “I did what I had to do.”

But Amusan did not rest on her oars. She improved on her new world record in the final hours later, winning in 12.06 seconds to become the first Nigerian world champion.

Jamaica’s Britany Anderson took silver in 12.23 seconds, while Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico claimed bronze in 12.23 seconds.

Amusan got off to a scorching start and was smoothly into her stride after the first hurdle, building a clear lead and then pulling away ahead of Anderson and the fast-closing Camacho-Quinn for the gold.

Amusan, who is a Diamond League trophy winner, Commonwealth Games champion and multiple African Champion, now has an eye on the Olympic Games medal to add to her impressive collection.

For African record holder, Brume, her season’s best of 7.02 metres earned her a silver medal in the women’s long jump.

Brume is the first Nigerian to win a medal at two successive editions of the World Championships having picked a bronze medal last time out in Doha.