Budapest 2023: Amusan looks good to defend her title Thursday evening despite tough hurdles

By

Olukayode Thomas

Team Nigeria hurdler, Tobi Amusan is hot and ready to defend her 100m hurdles world championships title Thursday evening in the final of the event.

Though Amusan may not have the fastest time going into the final, that honour belongs to American Kendra Harrison 12.24  sec and 12.33 sec, but evidence of Amusan’s readiness is obvious to athletics buffs who have watched keenly how she ran the last 20 m of her heat and semi-final races.

Keen watchers of athletics could see that Amusan was not pressing the throttle fully. She has been accelerating just to qualify.

With the final slated for this evening, it is hoped the Amusan will accelerate at full throttle like Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, the fastest car in the world, which moves at 330 miles per mile when in full swing.

If Amusan moves at this speed, she will just not give Team Nigeria her first gold medal and only medal at the World Champion, the 100m hurdles world record which she broke in Eugene, Oregon may also be sent into the athletics archives in Budapest.

A final that has everything

But Amusan's road to a successful world title defense and possibly a new world record is not as straight as a rope, she faces a very tough field of tough co-competitors who are standing between her equaling Gail Davers's record of back-to-back 100m hurdles title at the World Championships.

After the semi-final on Wednesday, commentators described the Thursday evening final as a race that has everything.

And it sure has everything.  In Harrison, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and Nia Ali, Amusan have tough co-competitors who are worth their weight in gold and other precious medals.

American’s Ali is determined to regain the title she won in 2019 and Puerto Rico’s Camacho-Quinn is in search of another global gold to add to the Olympic crown she won in Tokyo.

Prior to coming to Budapest for the World Championships, Ali was the world leader with 12.30, a personal best she achieved to win in Monaco on July 21.

The 34-year-old improved her previous best set when winning her world title in Doha by 0.04.

With Ali in the form of her life, Camacho-Quinn just 0.01 behind her on this season’s top list, and Amusan saving her best for the final, a brilliant battle could be in store.

Camacho-Quinn, meanwhile, has multiple Diamond League wins to her name and has triumphed in Doha and Lausanne as part of an unbeaten season of 10 races so far.

 In addition to her Olympic title, the 26-year-old claimed world bronze in Oregon last year and set her personal best of 12.26 in the semifinals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Harrison will be looking to deny Amusan, Ali, and Camacho-Quinn the title. Before coming to Budapest, the former world record-holder, who clocked 12.20 in London in 2016, is tied with Camacho-Quinn at No.2 on this season’s top list with the 12.31 she ran to finish runner-up to Ali in Monaco.

She was also second to Ali at the US Championships and has finished in the top two in each of her 10 races this season.

And in Budapest, she ran the fastest time going into Thursday's final. Her aim will be to continue that pattern and go one better than the silver medals she earned at the 2019 World Championships, behind Ali, and Tokyo Olympics, behind Camacho-Quinn.

Apart from the Big Four who are favourites, Jamaica trio Danielle Williams (12.50) Megan Tapper (12.55) and Ackera Nugget (12.60) can cause upset.

 Tapper won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and Williams took a place on the podium in Doha – and rising talent Nugent, the 21-year-old NCAA champion, who won world U20 gold in 2021.

Switzerland Ditaji Kambundji is also a contender. Kambundji has dipped under 12.50 this year, running a Swiss record of 12.47 in Bern at the start of this month.

 Bahamian Devynne Charlton, 12.49 a medalist at last year’s World Indoor Championships, cannot also be counted out after all, the unpredictability of athletics is one of its strongest attractions but everything points to an Amusan victory possibly with the world record.

Her success will give millions of Nigerians a moment of joy and direction in this period of anomie.

Ofili and Akintola in 200m

Earlier in the evening, Favour Ofili and Alaba Akintola will compete in the semi-final of the men and women 200m, both are not to be envied as they faced a very strong field of world beaters.

Ofili is in the same heat with Ivorian legend Marie-Josée Ta-Lou who narrowly missed out on a medal in the final of 100m, Jamaican Shericka Jackson silver medalist in the 100m, and the fastest woman in the world American Sha'Carri Richardson.

Akintola competitors also have intimidating credentials, they include Botswana Letsile Tebogo silver medalist in the 100m, American Kenneth Bednarek, and Canadian Aaron Brown.

Only the first two in each of the three 200m heats plus two runners with the fastest times from the three heats will qualify for the final.

Wishing Our Girls and Boy the best. (With background information from World Athletics)