World record holder Tobi Amusan is set to compete in the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games today, as reported by The PUNCH.
Amusan secured her spot in the semi-finals with a time of 12.49 seconds in the heats, surpassing USA’s Alaysha Johnson (12.61 seconds) and Janeek Brown (12.84 seconds).
In the semi-finals, the Nigerian athlete will face reigning world champion Danielle Williams, USA’s Grace Stark, Devynne Charlton from the Bahamas, and four other competitors. The top two finishers from each of the three semi-final races will advance to the final, along with the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
Amusan delivered the second-fastest time in the preliminary rounds, trailing only behind Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico, who clocked 12.42 seconds.
Reflecting on her performance, Amusan expressed confidence, saying, “The first time I came as an Olympian, I was about 18/19; the second time, I was a bit more experienced but didn’t make the podium. This time, I believe it’s my season.” She has now reached the semi-finals in three consecutive Olympic Games.
As the world record holder, Amusan is a key contender for Nigeria’s medal hopes, following some near misses in other track events and wrestling.
Her impressive form leading up to the Games includes a season’s best and world-leading time of 12.40 seconds at the Jamaican Athletics Invitational in May. Earlier this year, she also set the African 60m hurdles indoor record twice and won her third consecutive African Games title in Ghana, among other achievements.
With a stellar track record that includes three consecutive Diamond League titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals, and numerous other accolades, Amusan has participated in the Olympics in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
