Boluwatife Kehinde
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan delivered another world-class performance at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships, clocking 12.29 seconds to claim silver in the women’s 100m hurdles final and secure Nigeria’s first medal of the tournament.
Despite a sluggish start out of the blocks, the world record holder showed her trademark resilience, surging back over the closing barriers and nearly snatching victory.
Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji held her form to take gold in a national record of 12.24s, while Grace Stark of the United States completed the podium with bronze in 12.34s.
Olympic champion Masai Russell, also of the USA, narrowly missed out on the medals after finishing fourth in 12.44s.
The final was one of the most competitive in recent championship history. Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas both set seasonal bests of 12.49s, while Jamaica’s Danielle Williams clocked 12.53s and Nadine Visser of the Netherlands crossed in 12.56s to round out a high-quality field.
Amusan’s silver further underlines her consistency on the global stage. Since stunning the athletics world in 2022 with her still-standing world record of 12.12s, she has remained a perennial podium contender, adding another medal to Nigeria’s growing history in the event.
Her path to the final was equally impressive. In the semifinals, the defending champion produced a masterclass, gliding over the barriers with flawless rhythm to win her heat in 12.36s, powered by a lightning-fast reaction time of 0.172.
The performance followed a smooth run through the heats, where she advanced with ease in 12.53s, conserving energy for the later rounds.
Although Amusan narrowly missed out on defending her world crown, her podium finish provided Nigeria with a strong start in Tokyo and reaffirmed her status as one of the sport’s most consistent and formidable hurdlers. With the Olympics on the horizon, her form and determination suggest there is still more to come from the world record holder.
