Boluwatife Kehinde
Tobi Amusan, an accomplished Nigerian athlete, has recently ascended to third place in the latest World Athletics 100m hurdles rankings.
This significant advancement has positioned her as Nigeria’s highest-ranked athlete, a distinction that follows her impressive performance in the World Championships held in Tokyo, where she secured a silver medal.
The 28-year-old Amusan, who astonishingly also holds the world record in the 100m hurdles, has moved up from ninth to third, amassing a total of 1,430 points. She now trails behind Grace Stark of the United States, who currently occupies the top position, and newly crowned world champion Ditaji Kambundji from Switzerland, who stands in second place.
Furthermore, Amusan’s remarkable achievements have led to a dramatic improvement in her overall ranking among women athletes globally. Amusan has made a significant leap of 40 places, ascending from 68th to 28th, solidifying her status as the only Nigerian woman within the esteemed global top 100. This development follows the unexpected withdrawal of Favour Ofili, who had previously attained a spot in the rankings but recently switched her allegiance to Turkey and did not compete in the championships.
In addition to Amusan’s achievements, Ezekiel Nathaniel has emerged as another prominent figure in the latest rankings update. The 22-year-old 400m hurdler has demonstrated remarkable resilience, breaking the Nigerian record five times throughout the 2025 season. His dedication and hard work have resulted in a remarkable climb from 59th to 15th place in the overall rankings.
In his specific event of the 400m hurdles, Nathaniel has maintained his fifth position globally, where he remains in the company of elite athletes, including new world champion Rai Benjamin from the United States, world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway, former world champion Alison dos Santos from Brazil, and Abderrahman Samba of Qatar. The only shift within this esteemed top five saw Benjamin rise above Warholm after the Norwegian failed to secure a medal at the Tokyo championships.
Additionally, shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has made notable progress, breaking into the global top 100 and currently ranked 99th overall after securing fifth place at the World Championships. His impressive performance there allowed him to earn 250 points, raising his total to 1,373 points. In the men’s shot put rankings, Enekwechi holds the seventh position following a groundbreaking season during which he became the first African athlete to surpass the 22-meter mark, achieving a remarkable throw of 22.10 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in May. His efforts at the Tokyo final resulted in a commendable throw of 21.52 meters.
Among the sprinters, Kanyinsola Ajayi has exhibited significant improvement in the rankings following his commendable sixth-place finish in the men’s 100m final. As a student-athlete at Auburn University, he advanced impressively from 29th to 13th in the 100m event rankings and experienced an extraordinary leap of 246 places in the overall standings, moving from a lowly 417th to an impressive 171st.
Ajayi’s teammate and fellow Auburn sprinter, Isreal Okon, who showcased his talent by winning his opening heat in Tokyo before being eliminated in the semi-final, has also seen his ranking rise. He is currently placed 38th in the 100m and ranked 550th globally. Additionally, promising young athlete Udodi Onwuzurike improved his ranking in the 200m, moving up from 30th to 25th, while maintaining a position of 72nd in the 100m and holding an overall ranking of 463rd.
Other Nigerian competitors have also experienced incremental progress. In the men’s 400m, Chidi Okezie is presently ranked 32nd and 527th overall following an early exit from competition, whereas Samuel Ogazi is positioned 38th and 614th in the global standings. Long jumper Charles Godfred is ranked 38th in his discipline and 825th overall.
In the women’s competitions, Ese Brume, once celebrated for her performance that ranked her as high as second in the long jump, has unfortunately dropped to 28th in her event and 800th overall after her early exit in Tokyo. Prestina Ochonogor, a promising young talent and Africa’s U-20 record holder, currently sits at 42nd in the long jump and 1,326th overall. Discus throwers Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons and Obiageri Amaechi hold 25th and 30th positions in their event, with overall rankings of 1,303rd and 1,597th, respectively. Hammer thrower Sade Olatoye stands at 32nd in her discipline and 1,660th overall. Sprinter Rosemary Chukwuma, who was eliminated in the women’s 100m heats, is currently ranked 57th in her event and 750th globally.
At the pinnacle of the global rankings, Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis continues to assert his dominance in the pole vault, holding the top position with 1,638 points. He boasts a 119-point lead over Rai Benjamin, who currently occupies second place, and a 123-point advantage over American Noah Lyles, ranked third in the 200m.
On the women’s side, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet has retained her lead in the overall rankings, having claimed gold medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events during the Tokyo championships. United States sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden concluded a remarkable season, elevating her to second place following her victories in the 100m and 200m, surpassing Faith Kipyegon. The latter has fallen to third place after losing the 5,000m title to Chebet, but successfully defended her championship in the 1,500m event.
