Amusan battles familiar foes on 25th Diamond League appearance

Tobi Amusan returns to the Stade Charléty in Paris this Friday with her sights set on a ninth Diamond League victory as the 2025 circuit makes its seventh stop.

The Nigerian sprint hurdler, who made her Diamond League debut in 2018, has since racked up eight wins in 24 appearances—not seven as previously reported—including her historic 12.41 African record in Paris in 2022.

This will be Amusan’s 25th Diamond League race, and she’s no stranger to the Paris track. It was here she laid the groundwork for her world-record-breaking run at the World Championships weeks later. Now, she’s back to reclaim the crown she relinquished in 2024 and boost her qualification hopes for the Zurich final in September.

In Paris, Amusan is expected to face a stacked field that includes former World record holder in the event at 12.20, USA’s Keni Harrison who she will be going head to head against for the 28th time, Paris 2024 Olympics finalist, Grace Stark who holds a 4-0 head-to-head record against the Nigerian and Jamaican, Ackera Nugent, whom the Nigerian holds a 2-1 head-to-record lead over.

Others are reigning World indoor champion and record holder, Charlton Devynne who Amusan has beaten 22 times in 28 races, Dutchwoman, Nadine Visser who has lost 18 of her 23 head-to-head clashes against the Nigerian and USA’s Alaysha Johnson who has raced against the reigning World record holder 11 times with the Nigerian winning eight times.

Amusan remains the only Nigerian athlete to win three consecutive Diamond League titles and the only one to simultaneously hold the Nigerian, African, African Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and World records in the 100m hurdles.

With Blessing Okagbare’s 12 Diamond League wins still the national benchmark, Amusan is closing in fast—and Paris could be another step toward history.