Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan early Monday set a World Record, twice, to win the 100m hurdles in style at the World Championships.
Her victory and another great performance by Ese Brume meant that after labouring all week long with nothing tangible to show for their efforts, Team Nigeria ended their campaign at the World Championships in Oregon on a spectacular note; winning a gold and a silver medal on the final day of action.
The duo of Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume produced the medals for Nigeria and they did it in style Oregon with jaw-breaking performances.
Amusan set the World Record twice before she was crowned the world champion in the 100m hurdles while Brume needed to dig deep for her silver in the long jump.
After improving on her African Record during the heats, many knew Amusan would be on to bigger things in the semi-final but not the World Record
In the semi-final, Amusan delivered an extraordinary time; clocking 12.12secs to obliterate the former World Record of 12.20secs held by Keni Harrison of the United States since 2016.
“I wanted to get out and go,” said Amusan after the race. “I did what I had to do.”
While that was amazing in itself, Amusan was not yet done as she improved on the World Record in her final race some hours later; winning in 12.06secs to become the first Nigerian World Champion ever.
Jamaica’s Britany Anderson took silver in 12.23sec, while Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico claimed bronze in 12.23.
Amusan got off to a scorching start and was smoothly into her stride after the first hurdle, building a clear lead and then pulling away ahead of Anderson and the fast-closing Camacho-Quinn for the gold.
Amusan, who is a Diamond League trophy winner, Commonwealth Games champion and multiple African Champion, now has an eye on the Olympic Games medal to add to her impressive collection.
On the sand, Brume, the African record holder, landed a silver medal in the women’s long jump final with a season’s best of 7.02m.
Brume is the first Nigerian to win a medal at two successive editions of the World Championships having won a bronze medal last time out in Doha.
