World record holder in the 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, is set to return to the tracks at the Stade de France on Friday for the semi-finals of the event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Amusan advanced to the semi-finals with a time of 12.49 seconds in Wednesday’s heats, surpassing the USA’s Alaysha Johnson, who clocked 12.61 seconds, and Janeek Brown, who finished third with 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 others in the first of three semi-final races.
The top two finishers in each semi-final will secure spots in Saturday’s final, along with the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
Amusan’s performance in the heats was impressive, as she achieved the second-fastest time behind Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico, who posted 12.42 seconds.
This achievement marks Amusan’s third consecutive appearance in the Olympic semi-finals.
Reflecting on her journey, Amusan expressed optimism, “The first time I came as an Olympian, I was like 18/19; the second time, I think I was a little bit experienced, and I didn’t get on the podium. This time I think, it’s my season,” she said.
Her consistent qualification for the semi-finals underscores her readiness and form.
With high hopes pinned on her, Amusan has been in stellar form leading up to the Olympics.
She ran a season’s best and world-leading time of 12.40 seconds at the Jamaican Athletics Invitational in Kingston in May.
Earlier in 2024, she set the African 60m hurdles indoor record twice and achieved significant victories, including her third consecutive African Games title in Ghana, a gold medal in the women’s 4x100m relay at the African Championships in Cameroon, and several Diamond League wins.
Amusan, a three-time Diamond League winner, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and two-time African champion, has also competed in two previous Olympic Games—Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Her track record is a testament to her extraordinary talent and dedication.
