Paris 2024: Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan finishes first in heat one, qualifies for the semis

Tobi Amusan finished first in the women’s 100 meters hurdle race at the ongoing Olympics games on Wednesday morning at the Stade de France.

Amusan who is the flag bearer for the World’s most populous black nation team Nigeria at this year’s event in Paris came out on top in heat one with a time of in 12.49s despite being on lane 9.

The World Record Holder won the race with ease, defeating Alaysha Johnson of the USA in second place with a time of 12.61 seconds and Janeek Brown in third place with a time of 12.84 seconds.

She set a world record in this event in 2022 in Eugene, Oregon, when she finished the women’s 100-meter hurdles semifinal in 12.12 seconds.

The 27-year-old sprinter from Ijebu is presently the 100-meter hurdles champion for both Africa and the Commonwealth, and he holds the record in those two events.

When Amusan won the gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2022 World Championships, she became the first-ever Nigerian to win a world championship and set a record. Her time in the semi-final was 12.12 seconds (+0.9 m/s), and in the final, she recorded a time of 12.06 seconds (+2.5 m/s).

She is a two-time African Games winner in the 100-meter hurdles, having won back-to-back Commonwealth and African gold in the event in 2018 and 2022.

Amusan won the 100-meter hurdles final in 12.33 seconds (+1.8 m/s) to continue her winning streak from 2021 to 2023. She is currently the Diamond League champion in this event as well.

Puerto Rican’s Camacho-Quinn (12.42) and Tobi Amusan (12.49) lead the pack in the Women’s 100 meters hurdles round 1 enroute to semi-final.

The semi-final will take place on Friday, August 9th at the Stade de France as Nigeria aim to win it’s first medal at Paris 2024.