Tobi Amusan gave Nigeria a strong start at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, after racing to second place in the women’s 100m hurdles final on Friday night.
The Nigerian star, who had earlier qualified from the semi-final with a 12.49-second run, improved considerably in the final, clocking 12.34 seconds to finish behind American Masai Russell.
Russell produced an outstanding 12.22 seconds to take the title, with Amusan holding off a strong field to secure second place.
Nadine Visser of the Netherlands finished third in 12.39, just ahead of Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton, who posted 12.40.
Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds recorded a season’s best of 12.42 for fifth, while American Alaysha Johnson was sixth in 12.46. Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska took seventh in 12.52, with Alia Armstrong of the United States completing the field in 12.77. The race was aided by a slight +0.1m/s wind.
There was, however, disappointment for Nigeria in the women’s 400m, where Ella Onojuvwevwo was unable to secure one of the eight places in Saturday’s final.
Onojuvwevwo entered the competition among a high-quality field of 16 quarter-milers that included Olympic champion and world leader Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce and several other sub-50-second runners.
With only the first four finishers from each of the two semi-finals progressing, the Nigerian fell short of the qualification positions finishing in 6th spot and bringing her individual campaign to an end. The women’s 400m final will take place on Saturday.
With Amusan and Onojuvwevwo completing their events, Nigeria will now look towards Kayinsola Ajayi, Ezekiel Nathaniel and Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike during the remaining two days of competition.
Ajayi will turn his attention to the men’s 100m on Saturday, with the semi-finals and final taking place during the second session.
Nathaniel is also scheduled for Saturday in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-finals and will need a top-four finish in his race to reach Sunday’s final. Under the championship format, the first four athletes from each semi-final progress.
Onwuzurike will be Nigeria’s main attraction on Sunday when he lines up in the men’s 200m. The Nigerian faces a formidable field featuring Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, world leader Kenneth Bednarek of the United States, South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile and Jamaica’s Bryan Levell.
The men’s 200m semi-finals and final will both be decided on Sunday, meaning Onwuzurike will have to negotiate two races on the final day if he is to challenge for a podium place.
Nigeria had initially been expected to have a bigger presence in Budapest after qualifying for the mixed 4x100m relay, but visa hitches affecting members of the relay pool disrupted the team’s plans and prevented the country from taking its place in Friday’s event. Rosemary Nwankwo and Miracle Ezechukwu were part of the athletes that could have represented the country but were denied.
The inaugural Ultimate Championship runs from September 11 to 13 and features 381 athletes from 65 federations competing across 28 disciplines.
