Sensational! Oluwatobi Amusan, the Poster Girl of Nigeria’s Track and Field; and One of the revelations and pride of African Athletics in recent years, has given special praise pand thanks to Almighty God, after the incredible race that saw her win the Diamond League trophy, at Eugene Oregon USA, last night; and for the third time, in a sterling row.
The Women’s 100 meters hurdles World Champion bared her mind, moments after outclassing a very strong field in Eugene, to win the race in an eye-catching time of 12:33 Seconds, which also stood as her Season’s Best (SB).
“I came out here, saying it’s my race to lose, and [believing] I will give it my all. I said it’s 200% or nothing, because [at] 100%, I’m not winning today. So I told God to give me the strength.
I also said to myself, Eugene is God’s track, I’m like, this is my favorite track and I’m gonna dominate, and God did the rest.”
Amusan lost her title as World Champion, in Budapest, capital of Hungary, at last month’s world athletics championships to Jamaica’s Danielle Williams; but her world record which stands at 12:12 Seconds was never threatened throughout the championship, in which she could only finish in sixth in the final.
Prior to that she had been terribly weighed-down by a rather questionable provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU); who flagged her for missing three whereabouts tests within twelve calendar months.
While many, especially her fans believed she was heavily weighed down psychologically, while she and her lawyers did all they could to establish her innocence, and claim by the hurdler who insisted she’s a clean athlete, all in the build up to the championship; others simply lashed out at her travails, as self inflicted woes and the tantrums of a fading world champion, who needs to reinvent herself.
As a great believer in God and self, Amusan perfectly took the positives from both her supportive fans and critics as well, and the outcome for all to see, was the incredible performance of last night, an emphatic response that also came within just three days of the failure of the AIU to enter an appeal in the Court for Arbitration in Sports in Lausanne, after the split (2-1) judgement that cleared Amusan to race in Budapest.
“Right now, I just want to rest. It’s simply amazing and I’m just grateful to God, that’s all I can say. This win is not about me, it’s for my coach, my family, for everyone who supported me throughout the year. It’s been rough and at times tough; but I’m just thankful to have rebounded from the heartbreak of Budapest.”
Amusan’s winning time of 12.33 Seconds, was beyond any doubt astonishing to many, and may have certainly put her doubters who might have underated her in recent months, in their places; as the Commonwealth and African champion swam against the tide, to become the second woman, after Dawn Nelson-Harper of the United States to win the 100 meters hurdles titles, three times in a row.
The 26-year-old Golden Girl from Nigerian won by upsetting Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quin who finished placed second with a time of 12.38 seconds; and the
third position went to United States, Kendra Harrison.
At the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Jamaica’s Williams won the title in a season-best time of 12.43 seconds while Olympic champion, Puerto Rico’s Camacho-Quinn came second in 12.44 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State-born Amusan won her first Diamond League title in 2021 with a time of 12.42 seconds and successfully defended it in 2022 with an improved 12.29 seconds in Zurich; before making it a hat trick of titles on Sunday night in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
