World record holder and five times national champion Tobi Amusan is set to begin another major chapter in her already remarkable career as she launches her campaign for a third African 100 metres hurdles title at the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships. The championship, which begins today, is being hosted at the University of Ghana and is expected to attract some of the continent’s finest track and field athletes.
Tobi Amusan enters the competition as one of Africa’s most decorated and dominant sprinters in the hurdles event. Over the years, she has built an impressive record at continental level, collecting five gold medals across both individual and relay events. Her consistency and elite performance have made her a standout figure in African athletics and a global name in the sport.
Tobi Amusan journey at the African Championships has been marked by commanding performances. At the Asaba 2018 edition, she delivered a powerful double victory, winning both the 100 metres flat and the 4×100 metres relay. She continued her dominance at Mauritius 2022, where she completed another sprint hurdles and relay double, further establishing her supremacy in the region. At the 2024 championship in Douala, she added another relay gold medal to her growing collection, reinforcing her status as a key pillar of Nigeria’s women’s relay team.
Although she did not compete in the individual 100 metres hurdles at the 2024 edition due to personal reasons, the event saw Liberia’s Ebony Morrison seize the opportunity to claim the title with a championship record time of 12.7 seconds. Now returning fully focused and in top form, Amusan is widely expected to mount a strong challenge to reclaim her crown in emphatic style.
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Nigeria’s presence in the women’s 100 metres hurdles is further strengthened by teammates Adaobi Tabugbo and Janet Sunday. Tabugbo, who finished fifth in the 2024 final and also contributed to Nigeria’s relay gold alongside Amusan, brings valuable experience and momentum into the competition, with a personal best of 12.87 seconds. Meanwhile, Janet Sunday will be making her debut at a major international senior championship, entering the event with a personal best of 13.67 seconds and representing the next generation of Nigerian hurdlers.
The women’s 100 metres hurdles heats are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. today, with the final set for 4:45 p.m. tomorrow. The event is expected to be highly competitive, with athletes from across Africa aiming to challenge Nigeria’s stronghold in the discipline.
Beyond the African Championships, Amusan’s focus will quickly shift to the global stage as she prepares for the 2026 Diamond League season. Just three days after the continental competition, she is expected to line up at the season opener in Shanghai, where she will face a world-class field that includes reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji, Olympic champion Masai Russell, Jamaican star Danielle Williams, and Bahamian hurdler Devynne Charlton.
Tobi Amusan remains one of the most feared competitors in women’s hurdles globally, largely due to her historic world record of 12.12 seconds, which still stands as the fastest time ever recorded in the women’s 100 metres hurdles. Her ability to consistently perform at the highest level across multiple championships continues to cement her legacy as one of Africa’s greatest track and field athletes.
