Amusan returns to the track, battles world leader Russell at Holloway Pro Classic 2024 in Florida

Tobi Amusan is returning to 100m hurdles action on Friday at the Holloway Pro Classic 2024 at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

The Nigerian has not competed over the distance since June 17 when she ran 12.78 to win her fourth straight Nigerian Championships title in Benin city, Edo state.

Since then, a number of sprint hurdlers led by the duo of Masai Russell of the USA and Ackera Nugent of Jamaica have made huge statements about their preparedness for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Russell and Nugent raced inside 12.30, 12.25 and 12.28 respectively, to race to the top of the world list while defending champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn responded by speeding to a new 12.39 personal season’s best.

In fact, as many as 11 athletes have broken 12.40 ahead of the Olympics with nine of them confirmed for the Games.

Interestingly, Russell, the American champion and world leader is running in the same heat as the Nigerian.

Amusan will now get her chance to respond and put down a marker as the athlete to beat in Paris.

The Nigerian holds a 12.40 personal season’s best and knows she needs to deliver a morale and confidence boosting time with less than two weeks to the start of the athletics event of the Games.

Heat 2
2 Kate Doherty IRL 13.30 13.30
3 Cindy Sember GBR 12.50 12.56
4 Amber Hughes USA 12.54 12.54
5 Masai Russell USA 12.25 12.25
6 Tobi Amusan NGR 12.12 12.40
7 Charisma Taylor BAH 12.76 12.76