Wanda Diamond League: Amusan wins 100m hurdles, sets new record
By Victor Okoye
ABUJA — Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan on Sunday, set a new record as she won the 100 metres hurdles in the Wanda Diamond League at the Silesia Stadium, in the City of Chorzó, Poland.
Amusan, who is also the world record holder in women’s 100m hurdles, won the race ahead of the U.S. duo, Kendra Harrison and Ali Nia.
She also set a new meeting record and a new season’s best of 12.34 seconds in the process.
The reigning world champion only won on the finish-line by fractions of seconds, in a typical photo finish.
Harrison Kendra was also given the same 12.34 seconds, whilst Ali Nia placed third with a time of 12.38 seconds.
Megan Tapper of Jamaica ran a time of 12.49 seconds to finish fourth in the race.
“It was not easy for me with injuries in my hamstring and knee.
“But I trusted in my coach and my work. It’s all about the process. I just won this in a smooth style.
“I was just running and honestly I had no idea that I had won when I crossed the finish line,” Amusan told reporters after the race.
Amusan’s blistering record-setting performance came on the heels of her recent comfortable win in the Nigerian national trials in Benin.
She had won in a time of 12.70 seconds, in wet conditions to book her ticket to the world championships, in Budapest.
It was the third time in a row that she had won the national title.
The 26-year old Amusan had, prior to the Nigerian trials, defeated Sarah Avalanche of Ireland, who finished second in 12.73 seconds.
Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland claimed the bronze medal in 12.78 seconds, to win the Stockholm Diamond League with an impressive time of 12.52 seconds.
The double Commonwealth Games champion will go on to defend her world title, and possibly her world record of 12.12 seconds, at the World Athletics Championships, in Hungary, Budapest from Aug. 19 to 27.
Amusan has finished second, fourth and eight in her last three outings of the season.
This was prior to her inspiring run in Stockholm, where she won it with a time of 12.52 seconds.
With the worlds precisely one month away, it will be interesting to see how the Ogun state-born hurdler handles the immense weight of expectations from fans, sponsors, and even herself.
