Budapest roared to life yesterday and Nigeria had Tobi Amusan to thank for the fireworks.
On day one of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, the Nigerian sprint queen surged back onto the global podium with a fierce silver in the women’s 100m hurdles, even as compatriot Ella Onojuvwevwo’s 400m journey ended in gutting fashion.
Amusan Strikes Back: 12.34s Earns Podium Glory
It was redemption written in spikes.
Hours after easing through the semis in 12.49s, Amusan came out swinging in the final. She exploded out of the blocks and sliced through the field to stop the clock at 12.34s, her fastest run of the meet.
It wasn’t enough to catch America’s Masai Russell, who was untouchable in 12.22s to claim gold. But Amusan did what champions do: she held her nerve. Dutch veteran Nadine Visser grabbed bronze in 12.39s, with Devynne Charlton of Bahamas breathing down her neck at 12.40s.
Behind them, Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds clocked a season’s best 12.42s for fifth. With a slight +0.1m/s breeze at her back, Amusan’s silver instantly gave Nigeria momentum in a championship featuring 381 athletes from 65 nations across 28 events.
Ella Falls Short As Nigeria Eyes Next Battles
The joy was tempered minutes later.
Ella Onojuvwevwo lined up in a brutal 400m semi-final stacked with Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser. Only the top four advanced. Ella fought, but finished 6th. Her individual campaign in Budapest is over. The final is set for Saturday.
The focus now shifts. Kayinsola Ajayi goes in the men’s 100m on Saturday, Ezekiel Nathaniel tackles the 400m hurdles semis the same day, and Udodi Onwuzurike carries Nigeria’s biggest hope on Sunday in the men’s 200m against the likes of Letsile Tebogo and Kenneth Bednarek.
Nigeria’s numbers were also hit off the track. Visa issues kept Rosemary Nwankwo and Miracle Ezechukwu out of the mixed 4x100m relay.
The Ultimate Championship runs Sept 11-13. For Nigeria, the story has just begun.
