Amusan’s 12.12 World record run tops list of 5 greatest performances of all-time by Nigerian women in track and field

Sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan is not only the first, and so far, only Nigerian first world outdoor champion and record holder, the 27-year-old is also the athlete with the greatest performance ever.

Amusan ran 12.12 seconds to set the 100m hurdles world record on her way to winning the world title in Oregon, USA two years ago. That performance is the greatest by any Nigerian in any event following Sportsnow.com.ng’s use of the World Athletics Scoring Tables of Athletics.

The Scoring Tables of Athletics, according to the governing body for the sport, are based on exact statistical data with the scores in the tables of different events covering equivalent performances.

Sportsnow is thus using it to establish the five greatest performances by Nigerian women track and field athletes.

Amusan’s 12.12 return is worth 1,272 points with Ese Brume’s 7.17m African record leap in 2021 the second best worth 1,255 points.

Sprinter, Blessing Okagbare may have been banned by World Athletics for 11 years but the lively, Sapele-born star’s incredible feat in the blue ribband event topped by her 10.79 (1,246 points) run at the Olympic stadium in London in July 2013 the third best performance by a Nigerian woman.

Another long jumper, Chioma Ajunwa leaps into the picture as the fourth best performance ever by a Nigerian woman with her 7.12m (1,244 points), gold-winning jump at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In number five are two athletes, one still active and the other who has retired after a storied career in track and field. Favour Ofili and Falilat Ogunkoya.

Ofili’s 21.96 performance in the 200m in 2022 which made her the first and only Nigerian woman to break 23 seconds in the event ranks joint fifth with Ogunkoya’s 49.10 African record-setting and bronze-medal winning run at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Both performances are worth 1,242 points in World Athletics Scoring Tables of Athletics.