Putting forward her best foot, Tobi Amusan is finally going to Paris, igniting Nigeria’s medal hopes. Amusan, who is 27-years-old, specializes in the 100m hurdles. Displaying excellent form, Amusan currently holds the world record in her discipline, clocking 12.12s. Competing on the international circuit, Tobi Amusan has amassed as many as 3 Diamond League golds and 4 golds in the African Games. 

Despite standing at 1.56 meters, Tobi Amusan has been phenomenal, soaring to the world number 1 spot in 2023. As she prepares to blaze the tracks in Paris, it is important to acknowledge the person who played a crucial role in her ascent: her coach, who began guiding Amusan in 2016 and has since propelled her to unprecedented levels of success.

Meet the coach of sprinter Tobi Amusan: Lacena Golding Clarke

Lacena Golding Clarke is overseeing her duties as an assistant coach at UTEP. Specializing in sprints and hurdles, Clarke has produced some exceptional talents over the years. Her list of star pupils includes 32 C-USA individual crown holders, 32 regional qualifiers, and 13 All-Americans. Acknowledging her for her exquisite coaching prowess, Lacena Golding Clarke clinched the Mountain Region Coach of the Year thrice (twice in 2014 and once in 2017). 

One of the biggest highlights of Clarke’s career includes guiding the women’s team to win the NCAA outdoor title in 100m hurdles back in 2017, a first in the program’s history. This milestone also marked Clarke’s first encounter with Tobi Amusan. Under Clarke’s expert guidance, Amusan earned All-American honors for three consecutive years. She shone in her freshman year, winning the NCAA silver. Following her stellar performance, Amusan received accolades including C-USA High Point Scorer, C-USA Freshman of the Meet, and C-USA Track Athlete of the Year. Subsequently, Amusan hired Lacena Golding Clarke as her personal trainer.

Their partnership proved magical, with Clarke helping Amusan secure her first-ever Olympic berth at the 2016 Olympics. Given the immense success and recognition that followed, it is fitting that Tobi Amusan holds her coach in high regard and is unafraid to publicly express her pride and gratitude.

Tobi Amusan defends her coach Lacena Golding Clarke

In 2023, Lacena Golding Clarke was coined as ‘bogus’ by a Nigerian caller during a Jamaican Radio Show. This comment infuriated Tobi Amusan, who could not wrap her head around the fact that how could someone criticize Clarke like this even after everything she has achieved in her life? Taking a stand for her coach, Amusan stated, “The someone is mad!! Why would he say that?? Is he blind, deaf, or just rose from the dead?? I’m so sorry mam. You are my coach, the WR holder’s coach.”

Amusan further described her coach as the embodiment of ‘bluntness and realness’. Continuing to praise Golding Clarke, Amusan mentioned how she has imbibed qualities like strength, self-discipline, and determination from her coach. Thus, with the ratio of the student-coach duo going strong, Tobi Amusan will undoubtedly aim for her maiden Olympic gold this year, striving to make her already proud coach even prouder.