Retired Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt has congratulated Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, who smashed the world record in the Women’s 100 metres hurdles, to win gold at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA.
Bolt took to Twitter to tweet the message: “Congrats”, retweeting World Athletics tweet celebrating her feat.
“We’re all in awe”, said World Athletics in another tweet.
The feat by the 25-year-old meant that she made history as the first Nigerian to win a world title and an unprecedented world record in one day.
Amusan first ran a blistering 12:12 seconds to shatter the world record of 12:20 seconds set by Kendra Harrison of U. S. in the semi-finals.
She then followed up with a (+2.5) wind-assisted 12.06s in the final. She became the first Nigerian to win a world title and an unprecedented world record in one evening.
The time in the final would however not be recognised as it was deemed to be well over the legal +2.0 wind assist allowed in Athletics
The latest feat served as a big consolation for Amusan after a disappointing Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she narrowly lost the bronze medal to Jamaica’s Megan Tapper when she placed fourth.
The record-breaking feat also enriched Amusan’s purse with 100,000 dollars (N165 million) as a bonus from the organisers.
Amusan was the 2018 Commonwealth and 2018 African champion in the event.
She is also a two-time African Games champion.
She won the Diamond League Trophy in Zurich in 2021 in the 100m hurdles.
In 2022, during Paris Diamond League, Amusan broke a record and became third in the world.
Team Nigeria would go on to celebrate another podium finish in the Long Jump, with Ese Brume’s extraordinary effort.
The Commonwealth and Africa record holder, long jumper Brume leapt over 7.02m to clinch silver medal, behind rival Malika Mihambo of Germany who jumped a record 7.12m for the gold medal.
Brazil’s Oro Melo settled for Bronze with 6.89m jump. Brume won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
(Sun)