World Championships: Amusan set to pocket over N100m after sleepless nights before finals
Amusan became the first Nigerian athlete to win a World Athletics Championship gold as she stormed to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles in Oregon on Sunday.
By David Meshioye
100m hurdles World record holder, Tobi Amusan says she denied her sound sleep for days thinking and mapping out strategies on how to beat the odds and clinch gold at the World Championship.
Still smarting from her world record win in the 100m hurdles in the early hours of Monday morning, Tobi said her colleagues kept asking if she has been able to find any sleep and her response has been no, adding that she is elated that the end finally justified the means.
Fielding questions from reporters after the game, the African record holder stressed that she had complained to her coach about her heavy legs but was told to remain focused and see the final as another competition.
" It's just crazy and crazy to have won here and I'm just excited. A colleague met me and were like,' have you been able to sleep and I said no' Others met me and asked:' Tobi have you had any sleep and I said no.
" Few hours before the finals, I met my coach and complained to him that my legs were heavy but he told me its just my thoughts and that i should see the finals as one of those competitions," she said.
Tobi Amusan became the first Nigerian athlete to win a World Athletics Championship gold as she stormed to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles in Oregon on Sunday.
Amusan, who had obliterated the world record in an astonishing semi-final where she clocked 12.12sec, powered over the line at Hayward Field in 12.06sec.
Her winning time will not be recognised as a world record, however, due to a strong tailing win of 2.5 metres per second.
Jamaica’s Britany Anderson took silver in 12.23sec, while Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico claimed bronze in 12.23.
Apart from the gold medal, Amusan will also be smiling to the bank with a guaranteed $170,000 in prize monies
As announced by the World Athletics before now, in individual events, gold medal winners receive $70,000, with $35,000 for silver and $22,000 for bronze.
Amusan also won herself $100,000 for breaking the World Record even as many expect more rewards in cash and kind for the petite hurdler.
