Sprint hurdler Tobiloba Amusan has set a new 12.41 seconds African record in the 100m hurdles.
The petite, 25 year old shattered her nine months old 12.42s record set enroute to her historic feat at the final of the Diamond League in Zurich.
The Nigerian was tipped as favourite to win the Diamond League meet in Paris, France, the seventh leg of the scheduled 14 legs of the money-spinning one day meeting series and she fulfilled expectations in a record breaking fashion.
Running from lane five, Amusan shot out of the blocks in lightning fashion but was headed by reigning World Indoor champion over the 60m hurdles, Cyréna Samba-Mayela.
Undeterred, the Nigerian, who only four days earlier at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland set a new 12.57s personal season’s best raced past Samba-Mayela and was never headed as she stormed home first.
The clock read 12.41 seconds and it was a new African record for the reigning African Games, African Championships, Commonwealth Games and Diamond League champions.
The time also catapaulted her to third on the 2022 World list of performances behind Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic champion who ran 12.37 seconds early this month in Rome, Italy and Alaysha Johnson of the USA’s who ran 12.40 seconds seven days ago in New York.
It is also the 21st fastest in the event’s all-time list.
For her effort, the Nigerian will be rewarded with the eight maximum points on offer to move top of the event’s standing with 15 points and $10,000 in prize money.
Amusan will now shift focus to the Nigerian Athletics Championships which start this week in Benin, capital of Edo state.
Favourite to retain the Nigerian 100m hurdles title she won last year, Amusan will be seeking to break Angela Atede’s 25 year old 12.63 seconds Championships record.
