In a stunning display, Nigerian sprinter Tobi Amusan made history as she broke a 25-year-old record at the World Indoor Tour in Astana. Amusan clocked an astonishing time of 7.77 seconds in the 60m Hurdles, eclipsing the previous African record set at 7.82 seconds set in 1999 by fellow Nigerian, Gloria Alozie.
The track & field complex saw Tobi Amusan hurdle her way to the finish with a 7.77 mark. According to World Athletics, the record puts the Nigerian tied with Polland’s Zofia Bielczyk and Neitherland’s Nadine Visser in the senior women’s category for the discipline. It has also placed Amusan second on the world’s top list for the season behind Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas who ran 7.75 last week at the Corky Classics in Lubbock, Texas.
The reigning world 100m hurdles record holder at 12.12 first showed flashes of what is to come after storming home in her semifinal heat in 7.91 seconds. In the finals, she finished ahead of 2019 World Outdoor champion Nia Ali (7.89) and Irish athlete, Sarah Lavin who finished third with 7.91.
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Amusan is coming off a challenging season after she was charged for allegedly skipping three anti-doping controls after failing to share her whereabouts thrice in 12 months, which led to a temporary ban from competition on July 19, 2023. However, the temporary ban was lifted on August 17, 2023, after the Disciplinary Tribunal determined that she did not break any anti-doping rules. Later, she took part in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and claimed sixth place in the finals. While the previous year was rough for Amusan, she now seems to be on the way up, just before the Paris Olympics.
With her recent achievement, she has surpassed Alozie’s all three records.
Amusan jumps over Alozie in three records
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Amusan moved up to number 20 on the world all-time list and the reigning Commonwealth Games champion has now broken all three African records held by her predecessor Alozie.
She first broke her predecessor’s African Games record of 12.74 set in 1999 when she ran 12.68 to win 10 years later (2019). Amusan followed up by breaking Alozie’s 12.44 African record when she ran 12.42 seconds on her way to winning her first Diamond League title.
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Amusan now holds the Nigeria, Nigerian Championships, African, African Games, African indoor, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and world records.
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