By Sport Analyst
Emmanuel Afonja
Nigeria’s sprint queen, Tobi Amusan, has kept her title ambitions alive after qualifying for the women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals at the ongoing 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Amusan, who is the reigning world record holder with a blistering 12.12 seconds set in 2022, showed her class once again on Sunday, September 14. Running in heat six, she crossed the finish line in 12.53 seconds, comfortably ahead of her rivals to seal her place in the next round.
Her closest competitor, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who is also the reigning world indoor champion, followed in 12.69 seconds, while Italy’s Elena Carraro clocked 12.86 seconds to secure the final qualifying spot from the heat.
The 27-year-old Nigerian hurdler, who clinched gold at the 2022 edition in Oregon but missed out on the podium at Budapest 2023, is on a determined mission to reclaim her crown in Tokyo. Her smooth progression into the semis has also bolstered Nigeria’s hopes of earning medals at the championships.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 100m, Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon are also set to feature in the semi-final races later today as Team Nigeria continues its push for glory at the global showpiece.
