Tobi Amusan: Nigeria’s World Record Queen of the 100m Hurdles
Olúwatóbilọ́ba Ayọ̀mídé “Tobi”
Tobi Amusan is one of Africa’s greatest track athletes and Nigeria’s biggest modern star in hurdles. She is best known as the women’s 100m hurdles world record holder (12.12) and as Nigeria’s first ever world champion in an athletics event, a breakthrough that placed Nigerian track and field in global headlines.
Early Life and Background
Olúwatóbilọ́ba Ayọ̀mídé “Tobi” Amúsàn was born on April 23, 1997, in Ijebu Ode, Nigeria. She grew up in the southwest and attended Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, before her athletics journey fully opened up.
Education and College Athletics
Amusan later studied and competed in the United States at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), developing the structure, competition experience, and technical growth that helped prepare her for elite international hurdling.
Early Career and African Breakthrough
Before global fame, she had already become a standout on the continent, winning at youth and African-level competitions and steadily building the reputation of a future champion.
World Stage Breakthrough
Her defining career moment came at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene. In the semifinal, she ran 12.12 seconds to set a new world record, then went on to win the world title, becoming Nigeria’s first world champion and world record holder in an athletics event.
Commonwealth, African, and Diamond League Success
Amusan is also a multiple-time champion across major stages, including Commonwealth and African titles and repeated success in the Diamond League, showing she can win across seasons, not just in one magical year.
Integrity Case and Clearance
In 2023, she faced a high-profile “whereabouts” case (linked to missed filing/testing requirements). In 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cleared her of an anti-doping rule violation, rejecting appeals and confirming she did not have the required third violation.
Legacy and Impact
Tobi Amusan’s legacy is already historic: she turned Nigeria into a world-record nation in athletics, inspired a new generation of young sprinters and hurdlers, and proved an African athlete can dominate one of track’s most technical events at the very highest level.
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