World athletics great, Usain Bolt has celebrated Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan for the world record race at the just-ended World Athletics Championships in Oregon, US.
Amusan broke the world record for the women’s 100 metres hurdles in a stunning semi-final effort at the Championships on Sunday.
She run a time of 12.12 seconds to break Kendra Harrison’s mark of 12.20, with the American finishing second in the heat.
Bolt via a series of Twitter posts congratulating the Jamaican female relay team reserved a post for Tobi. “Suberb,” he posted with flag emojis of Nigeria before adding a hashtag of the athlete’s name #Tobi.
Tobi went ahead to win the final by further lowering the semi-final race record, she completed the final with a time of 12.06 seconds.
A Reuters report noted that while most athletes aim to conserve their energy in the semi-final, the 25-year-old Amusan held nothing back at Hayward field, a day after she set the African record in the opening heats.
“It is a strong feeling. I wanted to get out and go,” she told reporters. “I did what I had to do. Looking forward to the finals.”
OGUN SWAN
The Ogun state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has congratulated Nigeria’s first Athletics World Champion, Tobi Amusan after winning gold in the Women’s 100m Hurdle at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Amusan broke her World Record twice in the early hours of Monday blazing to a 12.12 seconds in the semifinals to break the Old World Record by 0.08s before breaking her own 12:12seconds record by blazing to a 12:06(+2.5) in the final.
In a statement jointly signed by the SWAN Chairman, Alhaji Hakeem Akintunde and Secretary of the Association, Mr Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji says the athlete’s unexpected exploits in Oregon crowned her as the champion of the world and become the first-ever Nigerian to win Gold at a World Championships.
It commends the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for adopting Tobi under the Adopt an athlete policy of the Federal Government.
The statement expresses the hope that Amusan’s success will spur Ogun State Government to brace up and revamp sports that is currently at limbo in the Gateway state and encourage the budding talents that are in abundance to further exhibit themselves and return the lost glory of the state in sports.
TINUBU
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has congratulated Tobi Amusan on her winning.
The Ijedu-Ode-born sprinter could not hold back tears on the podium while the Nigeria national anthem was ongoing.
Tinubu tweeted on Monday, “Congratulations to our new Track & Field superstar Tobi Amusan on becoming the new World Champion in the women’s 100m hurdles; smashing the world record not once but twice in the process.”
BUHARI
Also, President of of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari took to social media to celebrate Tobi Amusan for the gold medal and a new world record.
The statement by the president said, “I join millions of Nigerians in celebrating Tobi Amusan and her stellar performance, at the World Athletics Championships 2022.
“Her new World Record and Gold Medal have brought excitement and joy and hope to all of us, and made our national anthem resonate on a global stage.
Buhari then praised Brume for her heroics in the long jump event, he added, I also commend and celebrate Ese Brume for her long jump Silver Medal.
“#TeamNigeria have represented us with honour & pride; displaying courage, integrity and good sportsmanship, and proving that with hard work & determination, success is achievable. #WorldAthleticsChampionships
Other top presidential candidates Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar have also congratulated Amusan.
Ese Brume also won Silver medal.
Brume took silver for Nigeria with a season best leap of 7.02 meters in the women’s long jump event.
On the silver medal, Tinubu added, “Congratulations to our own Ese Brume for winning a silver medal in the Women Long Jump at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Here is wishing the entire Team Nigeria the very best at the championship.”
Oregon 2022 is Amusan’s third appearance at the World Championships after making her debut in London in 2017 where she made the semi-finals before finishing fourth in the final in Doha in 2019. She also placed fourth at the Tokyo Olympics.
