World record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria has failed to qualify for the 100m hurdles final at the Paris Olympics. Amusan placed third in the first semi-final, clocking in at 12.55 seconds.
Following her race, she had to wait for the outcomes of the two other semi-finals to determine if she would advance as a fastest loser.
However, her hopes were dashed when athletes in the third semi-final posted faster times. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent finished third in that race with a time of 12.44 seconds, while France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela secured fourth place with 12.52 seconds. Both times were faster than Amusan’s, ending her chances of making it to the final.
Amusan had made headlines in 2022 when she set a new world record in the women’s 100 meters hurdles at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, clocking 12.12 seconds. This achievement made her the first Nigerian to hold a world record in an athletics event.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team has been disqualified from the final at the Paris Olympic Games. The team, comprising Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie, finished their heat with a season’s best time of 2 minutes 59.81 seconds. Despite this performance, one of the Nigerian runners was adjudged to have crossed lanes, leading to the tripping of a South African runner. As a result, Nigeria was disqualified, and their spot in the final was awarded to South Africa.
With these setbacks, Nigeria’s hopes for a medal in the games, which conclude on Sunday, are significantly diminished.
