Nigerian hurdler Tobi Amusan set a new African record in heat three of the 100 metres women’s hurdles at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Oregon, U.S., to qualify for the semi-finals.

The record sees Amusan, 25, lead the semi-final race, which is expected to take place in the early hours of Monday.

Amusan, who previously held a personal best and African record of 12.41 seconds in June, surpassed her previous feat on Saturday as she ran a new record heat time ever at a global championship, finishing her race with a time of 12.40 seconds.

The UTEP alumnus, who missed out on the podium in Tokyo 2021, has now broken the African record three times in ten months (12.42 seconds in Zurich, 12.41 seconds in Paris and 12.40secs in Eugene).

The Nigerian hurdler finished ahead of Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (12.87 seconds), Ireland’s Sarah Lavin (12.99 seconds) and Australia’s Celeste Mucci (13.01 seconds).

In the semi-finals, the reigning African Games and African Championships will be up against U.S.’ Alia Armstrong, who recorded a time of 12.48 seconds.

Also in the semi-finals are Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn with a time of 12.52 seconds and Jamaica’s Brittany Anderson, who finished first with 12.59 seconds in heat one.

Amusan, who finished fourth three years ago at the World Championship in Doha, is seeking to become the second Nigerian sprint hurdler to win a medal at the championships after Glory Alozie. She won a silver medal in Seville, Spain, in 1999.

This time around, Amusan will feel that she can finally win a medal, buoyed by these recent achievements.

Also, on Saturday, the quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha secured qualification for the final of the Women’s 4×100 metres event.

Aside from being the second Nigerian relay team to make it to the final in Oregon, they are the first Nigerian team in 11 years to qualify for the women’s 4x100m final at the world championships.

The Nigerian ladies achieved the commendable feat after racing to a Season’s Best of 42.68 seconds to finish third in Heat 2 of the event.

(NAN)