Budapest 2023: Amusan eases into 100m hurdles semis

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has qualified for the semi-final of the women’s 100 meters hurdles at the 2023 World Athletics Championship. 

The Nigerian dipped at 12.48 seconds to finish first in heat five of the first round of qualification on Tuesday at the Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ, Budapest, Hungary.

Megan Tapper, Jamaican champion, took second at 12.51 seconds, followed by Michelle Jenneke of Australia who finished third.

Amusan placed third fastest overall from the qualification phase behind Kendra Harrison of the US, who ran 12.24 seconds and Bahamas’ Devynne Chalton with 12.44 seconds.

The Nigerian is billed to compete in the second semi-final heat billed for 8pm on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s race was Amusan’s first competitive event since the Athletics Integrity Unity (AIU) provisionally suspended her for allegedly “missing three tests in 12 months”.

Consequently, the world champion was excluded from the 26-athlete team submitted by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for the championship.

But three days before the commencement of the competition, Amusan was cleared of the charges, and the suspension was lifted.