Tobi Amusan with her shinning silver medal (Credit: MakingofChampions)

Nigeria’s sprint queen Tobi Amusan etched another milestone into her storied career on Monday by winning the silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Amusan clocked 12.29 seconds to finish second behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, who struck gold in a national record of 12.24s. Grace Stark of the United States claimed bronze in 12.34s.

A Bittersweet Return to Tokyo

For Amusan, the venue was loaded with emotion. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she had narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in the same stadium.

“I remember in 2021, I came here and I came fourth. The moment I heard World Championships was going to be kept here, I had a PTSD,” Amusan said after the race. “I had to snap out of it and told myself I’m not leaving here without the gold medal. I’ll take a silver. It’s been God. The journey has been extremely rough.”

From Setbacks to Silver

The 28-year-old hurdler has endured a rollercoaster few years—breaking the world record at 12.12s in Oregon in 2022, then facing injuries, administrative challenges, and questions over her form.

“This is for everyone who supported me through it all,” she said. “Look at the kind of lineup we have in the women’s hurdles—it’s anybody’s race. I worked really hard and I deserve this.”

Season’s Form and Personal Reinvention

Amusan had hinted at her comeback earlier this season with a season’s best of 12.24s, a performance that convinced her she was on track for another strong global showing.

Her cropped hairstyle also drew attention at the championships. “I was just tired of braiding my hair,” she laughed. “I train Monday through Saturday… so I just chopped it off into a pixie. No stress, no drama.”

New Coaches, New Energy

The hurdler credited her new Jamaican coaching setup for her resurgence. “The first two months were really tough, but look at it—the hard work paid off. They trusted me and believed in me, and this is for them,” she said.

Carrying National Expectations

Amusan reflected on the weight of representing Nigeria on the world stage:

“People always look at me as Nigeria’s medal… this is my small body putting the whole country on my back. Every time I show up, win or lose, I’m thankful.”

With another podium finish under her belt, Amusan confirmed her season has now ended. “Season has ended. Vacation activated,” she smiled.