Amusan gets easy 100m hurdles first round heat draw
Reigning World 100m hurdles record holder, Tobi Amusan, should have no problem qualifying for her fifth straight semifinal at the World Athletics Championships after she was drawn in what, on paper, is an easy heat in the first round of the event.
The Nigerian, who will have to wear the inferior kits provided by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has been drawn in the sixth and final heat of the first round, where her strongest opponent is expected to be reigning World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and World record holder, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas.
Amusan will also battle Lotta Harala of Finland, Anna Toth of Hungary, and home girl Hitomi Nakajima of Japan for the three automatic tickets on offer for semifinal slots.
The first three of each heat, plus the six fastest times, will qualify for the semifinal.
Amusan is bidding to reclaim the World 100m hurdles title she lost in 2023 following a false allegation of three Whereabouts failures.
She made history in 2022 in Oregon, USA, as the first Nigerian, man or woman, to win a World outdoor title when she scorched to a wind-aided 12.06 to win the gold medal.
She ran a 12.12 World record on her way to winning the title.
