In a stunning turn of events, Tobi Amusan, Nigeria’s top medal hopeful at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been eliminated from the competition.
The 27-year-old, who holds the world record in the 100m hurdles and is the reigning world champion, failed to reach the final, finishing third in her semi-final heat with a time of 12.55 seconds.
This disappointing result left Amusan in ninth place overall, extinguishing Nigeria’s hopes for a gold medal in the event. Despite being the world record holder with a time of 12.12 seconds set at last year’s World Championships, Amusan couldn’t replicate her best form on the Olympic stage.
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Amusan’s slow start in the race left her playing catch-up, and though she managed to recover somewhat, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the final. The unexpected outcome is a significant blow to Amusan and Team Nigeria, who were counting on her to bring home an Olympic title.
The defeat has left fans and supporters in shock, raising questions about Amusan’s preparation and whether the pressure of being the favorite affected her performance.
The women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals were filled with drama, with just 0.01 seconds separating the top two finishers. American Kendra Johnson claimed victory with a time of 12.34 seconds, the fastest in the semi-finals, while defending Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico secured second place with a time of 12.35 seconds.
The semi-finals ended in a nail-biting finish, but the spotlight remains on Amusan’s shocking exit, leaving Nigeria devastated and wondering what went wrong for their star hurdler.
As the 100m hurdles final approaches on Saturday, anticipation is high, but Amusan’s absence will be deeply felt as she grapples with this stunning setback on the Olympic stage.