- With no religious, ethnic or political affiliations Nigeria’s super star Tobi Amusan sets the world in ecstacy after breaking a world record and winning the gold medal all in one night in World Athletics Championships. Nigerian bigots please take note.
While politicians are traversing the nation, joggling for media attention,, both mainstream and virtual, some resorting to every kind of unimaginable, dispicable and extremely petty shinanigans in preperation to the upcoming national elections next year, a single Nigerian female is setting the world on a frenzy with her athletics prowess.
A shocked Amusan broke a world record, and later bagged a gold for Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has caused a stir after smashing a world record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in the semifinals at the World Championships this Sunday.
Amusan came in with a record time of 12.12 seconds, beating Kendra Harrison’s 2016 record of 12.20 by 0.8 of a second.
She went on to bag gold in the final, though her initial finishing time of 12.06 was ruled out due to strong wind speeds.
Amusan poses with her world record in the Women’s 100m hurdles semi-final of the World Athletics Championships.
Amusan’s world record has really sent shockwaves throughout the sports world.
“Wow” tweeted Jamaican track and field great Usain Bolt, while 200m champion and American record holder Noah Lyles tweeted: “12.12 are you kidding me?” Both congratulated her on Twitter.
In November 2016, the now-25 year old tweeted: “Unknown now but soon I will be unforgettable, I will persist until I succeed.”
“I could not believe it when I saw it on the screen after the semis. But it was just a matter of time,” Amusan told reporters Sunday.
Her win — Nigeria’s first gold at such an event — was met with joy, with congratulations pouring in from a state governor and a presidential candidate in the upcoming 2023 elections.
A Nigerian has responded to the glorious achievement thus; I have waited for more than twenty four hours, and no one has asked if Tobi is a Christian or a moslem. If she is Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa, or what political party she belongs to. All we hear is that she is a Nigerian. Let this be a lesson to all of us.
But some like Michael Johnson, four time olympic gold medalist who is now a BBC sports commentator had expressed skepticism at the race, which saw numerous competitors run their best times ever. He has said, “I don’t believe 100h times are correct. World record broken by .08! 12 PBs set. 5 National records set,”. This he wrote on Twitter, adding that Great Britain’s Cindy Sember commented that she had been running slow at the time of her personal best and national record.
Of course his careless statement med with harsh reactions, with some accusing him outrightly of some sort of twisted racism, considering that he is a black man.
The semi-finals saw numerous athletes set their best times.
“All athletes looked shocked,” the former 200 and 400 meter runner said.
“Heat 2 we were first shown winning time of 12.53. Few seconds later it shows 12.43. Rounding down by .01 is normal. .10 is not,” he said.
