Amusan drawn in lane seven, seeks winning start to 2025 Diamond League season

World 100m hurdles record holder and 2022 World champion, Tobi Amusan has been drawn to run from lane seven in her first Diamond League race in almost one year and first 100m hurdles race since last August when she faltered at the semifinal stage of the event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Nigerian, who was 28 this week, last competed in the money spinning, World Athletics’ e;ite one day meeting on April 27, 2024 in Suzhou, China where she false started but was allowed to run under protest.

Amusan is now back in the big league and will want to remind all she is still the World record holder by laying down the gauntlet ahead of not just the Diamond League final in Zurich but also the 20th World Athletics Championships.

She will be looking to reclaim the titles she lost in 2024 and 2023 respectively in both events.

With reigning Olympic champion, Masai Russell absent, as well as the fastest girl over the high hurdles at 12.24 last year, Jamaican, Ackera Nugent and former Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, also absent, Amusan knows the field in Xiamen is still stacked.

She will up against two-time World champion, Danielle Williams of Jamaica who has a slight edge (17-19) in head to head clashes over her, as well as 2019 World champion, Nia Ali of the USA whom she has beaten 14 times in 22 head to head races.

Amusan is 3-0 against Fourie Marione of South Africa, 8-0 against Pole, Pia Skrzyszowska, 0-2 against Grace Stark, the World leader and Paris 2024 Olympic finalist and 20-6 against Devynee Charlton, the reigning World indoor 60m champion and record.

She is also 1-5 against USA’s Tonea Marshall, 3-1 against Chinese athlete, Yanni Wu and 5-0 against Clay Liz of Australia.

On offer in Xiamen is not just the eight maximum points that accrues to the winner but also $10,000 in top prize money.