World Athletics Championships ratifies Amusan’s 100m hurdles record

World Athletics Championships, Tuesday, ratified the Women’s World 100m hurdles record set by Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan at the 2022 World Championships.

In a statement on Tuesday, the athletics body also ratified the record times of two other athletes, Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin.

All records were set at the World Athletics Championships that took place in Oregon, the United States in July.

“The World records set by Tobi Amusan, Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 have been ratified. Amusan’s 12.12 in the women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals, Duplantis’s 6.21m in the men’s pole vault final and McLaughlin’s 50.68 in the women’s 400m hurdles final are all now officially in the record books, as is the world U20 mark of 9.94 set by Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 100m heats,” the statement said.

The 25-year-old Nigerian took the Athletics world by surprise with a record time of 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals heat at the event, breaking the six-year-old record held by USA’s Kendra Harrison.

Amusan went on to run a record 12.06 seconds in the final but was not acknowledged due to in-race wind gust that was higher than allowed.

Amusan became the first Nigerian world champion at the World Athletics Championships with a gold medal in the 100m hurdles.

She is also the current African, Commonwealth, and World Champion in the 100m hurdles, and holds the race record in the three competitions.

Only last week, Federal Government inducted four outstanding female athletes into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame.

Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, disclosed this during the reception in honour of Nigerian female athletes in Abuja, Thursday.

Those honoured are; Tobi Amusan (World Record Holder 12.12 second 100 metres hurdles), Folashade Oluwafemiayo, (Gold medalists Women’s Heavyweight Champion, para-powerlifting).

Others are Ese Brume (Olympic World Champion African Champion in Long Jump) and Blessing Oborududu (Olympic Silver medalist, Commonwealth Games Champion in wrestling).

Tallen, while commending the athletes for their outstanding performance during the various international sporting competitions, said the induction was a way to immortalise Nigerian women’s achievements globally.

Earlier, Amusan was also conferred with a national honour, the Order of the Niger (OON) honour by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari thanked the athletes for the exciting moments they gave Nigerians during the two competitions.

“I watched with millions of Nigerians those exciting moments when you all brought smiles to us and our homes by breaking world, national and games records, as well as achieving personal best in your careers.

“Your outstanding performances in recent times are consistent with the determination of a nation always yearning for excellent performance. You all, members of Team Nigeria have ignited the spirit for victory in our nation but even more you have been victorious in major sporting championships and games.

“I have followed keenly your achievements at the World Championships in Oregon U.S. and indeed your remarkable performance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. And I am very pleased that you displayed at both the personal and group levels great sporting talents and delivered for your country great podium performances.”

Members of the Team Nigeria will pocket N200 million for their efforts at the two championships.

At the 2022 World Athletics Championships that was held in Oregon, USA, she broke the World 100m Hurdles record to become the first Nigerian World Champion.

The 25-year-old athlete also broke the Game Record to win gold in the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games and also the Meeting Record to successfully defend her Diamond League 100m Hurdles title.

Meanwhile, long jumper, Ese Brume, who won silver medal also at the World Athletics Championships and set a Game Record to win gold at the Commonwealth Games, was also conferred with a national honour.

Also conferred with a national honour is Oluwafemiayo.

She set new world records in the Women’s 68 kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games to win gold at both events.