Tobi Amusan, the world women’s 100m hurdles champion and record holder, returned to the track with a bang and is on track to successfully defend her title after easing into the event’s semi-finals at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday.
In her first race since being provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit on July 17 for failing three whereabouts checks, the Nigerian breezed through the heat, winning in 12.48 seconds. Despite a poor start, Amusan showed no indications of being out of competition for over a month as she dislodged Jamaican champion Megan Tapper, who finished second in 12.51 seconds.
Her pace was third quickest in the heats, trailing the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton, who set a new national record of 12.44 seconds, and Kendra Harrison, who also set a global record of 12.24 seconds.
Amusan’s final race before the World Championships was the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on July 17, when she won in a season-best 12.34 seconds.
Amusan will return to the track on Wednesday (today) for the semi-finals in her bid to defend the title she won in Oregon, USA, in 2022.
At 7:53 p.m. Nigerian time, the hurdler will compete in the second of three semi-finals on lane seven. The top two from each race, along with the two quickest timings from the other races, will compete in the final on Thursday.
Other competitors still in the running include Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Nia Ali of the United States.
Amusan’s participation in this year’s championship was in doubt until last Thursday, when the Athletics Integrity Unit cleared her.
The punishment was lifted after a majority ruling by a panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal declared her not guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation of three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period.
Nigerians were relieved by the decision, and she expressed her enthusiasm to return to the track in Budapest.
“I am thrilled to put this behind me, and I look forward to defending my title at the World Championships. I generally have been and consistently will be an ally of clean sport,” her statement read in part.
