World 100m women’s hurdles champion and record holder, Tobi Amusan, will begin her title defence today at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.
The race starts at 6:12 pm, according to the event schedule of the championship.
Amusan was cleared to defend her title last Thursday by the Athletics Integrity Unit after an appeals panel found she had not violated anti-doping rules despite missing three whereabouts tests in 12 months.
The 26-year-old will be running in lane four and face stiff competition from Olympic bronze medal winner Megan Tapper of Jamaica in the fifth and final heat of the first round.
Other hurdlers competing in heat five are Maayke Tjin-a-lim, Michelle Jenneke, Yumi Tanaka, Natalia Christofi, Ebony Morrison and Nika Glojnaric
At this stage last year, Amusan started her remarkable season with 12.40secs in her heat to set a new African record, before posting a 12.12secs to surpass a world record set by Kendra Harrison’s 12.20sec in 2016 on her way to claiming the 100m hurdles title at the World Championships in Oregon, USA.
Amusan then completed her astonishing run with a historic gold medal in the final, running a wind-aided 12.06secs to become the first Nigerian world outdoor champion.
However, Amusan was provisionally suspended last month for missing her whereabouts tests, sparking fears that she might not compete in Budapest.
However, the Athletics Integrity Unit cleared Tobi Amusan last Thursday to defend her title.
“A panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal, by majority decision, has today (Thursday) found that Tobi Amusan has not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period,” the statement read.
A relieved Amusan added that she was in top shape to defend her title, despite her suspension.
“I am thrilled to put this behind me, and I look forward to defending my title at next week’s World Championships. I generally have been & consistently will be an ally of CLEAN SPORT. To my Five Fingers; God is the greatest & I genuinely appreciate y’all for the support,” Amusan stated after her clearance.
Meanwhile, the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has appealed to Nigerian athletes participating at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, to strive to win medals for the country. Okowa, who spoke at the team’s Park Inn Hotel Radisson camp in Budapest, yesterday, said the athletes have given their best so far in the championships, but appealed to them to put in more effort for Nigerians to celebrate.
“You have done well, but we need medals, even if it is a bronze,” Okowa said. “Getting to the final is good, but it won’t count as medals. So, for those of you who are yet to compete, I appeal to have it at the back of your minds that Nigerians back home are waiting to celebrate medals. You can do it. And for those who have completed their events, I salute you for the efforts you put in. We appreciate you,” Okowa stated.
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