Having been cleared to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games, Nigerian star Tobi Amusan will be hoping to win a medal and underline her status as one of the best in the world in the Women’s 100m Hurdles.
DStv is your ultimate destination for the Olympic Games, while DStv Stream allows viewers to watch their favourite sport live anywhere, any time. Upgrade to DStv Premium to enjoy the best sport in the world.
Amusan, who hails from Ijebu-Ode in the Ogun State of Nigeria, became the first Nigerian athlete to win a Diamond League title as she took the 100m hurdles trophy in 2021, breaking the then-African record held by Glory Alozie in the process. She retained her title in 2022 and 2023. The 27-year-old also won gold at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, and has enjoyed success in the Commonwealth Games, African Games and African Championships.
However, her career has hit a speed wobble in recent times. In July 2023, Amusan was charged by World Athletics (WA) for committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). She did not return a positive test but had three alleged ‘whereabouts failures’ within a 12-month period.
Amusan challenged the decision, and the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT), in August 2023, ruled in her favour and no period of ineligibility was imposed on the athlete. WA then took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the latter backed up the decision that Aumusan was not in the wrong – clearing the cloud hanging over her that potentially threatened her participation in Paris.
Amusan, meanwhile, continued her warm-up for the Games by helping Nigeria win the Women’s 4x100m sprint event at the African Championships in Cameroon. She arrived at the event with an illness, but shrugged off her discomfort and anchored the team which claimed gold on the track.
“You just have to stay humble. The sport is already humbling and for every time I completed this year, I never took anyone for granted,” Amusan said. “So, I had to step in for the team, brace and do my thing for the country and I’m just glad that I was able to have that little strength in me to push through to the finish line. And you are healthy, last year wasn’t and I just wish I could compete here and there.”
Amusan finished fourth in the Women’s 100m Hurdles at the Tokyo 2020 Games three years ago and will be determined to finish at least one place higher when the event’s final is held at Stade de France on the evening of Saturday 10 August – LIVE on SuperSport.
DStv is your ultimate destination for the Olympic Games, while DStv Stream allows viewers to watch their favourite sport live anywhere, any time. Upgrade to DStv Premium to enjoy the fastest sport in the world. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement.