Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has made history by breaking the world record in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday, July 2, 2023. The Olympic champion clocked a stunning time of 12.52 seconds, beating her own previous record of 12.54 seconds set at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon last year.
Amusan dominated the race from start to finish, leaving behind her closest rivals Sarah Lavin of Ireland, who finished second in a personal best of 12.73 seconds, and Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland, who came third in 12.78 seconds. This was Amusan’s first win of the Diamond League season, after finishing second behind Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday.
Amusan expressed her delight at her performance, saying that she was excited to be competing and winning despite the cold and wet conditions on the track. She also said that she trusted in the process even when it was not going as planned. She dedicated her victory to her fans and supporters, especially those in Nigeria who have been cheering her on.
Amusan is the first Nigerian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics, and the first African woman to win a world title in the 100m hurdles. She is also a favourite to win gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She has been hailed as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time, and a source of inspiration for many young athletes.