World record holder and reigning champion Tobi Amusan has successfully powered her way into the final of the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Amusan dominated her semifinal heat, clocking an impressive 12.36 seconds to secure an automatic qualification spot and confirm her status as a top contender for the gold medal. She finished ahead of the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser (12.45s) and Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (12.51s).
Amusan’s remarkable performance comes amid a growing controversy within Nigerian athletics. Just days before her race, the star athlete took to Snapchat to voice her frustration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). In her social media posts, Amusan publicly criticized the federation for what she described as “shoddy and disrespectful” treatment of Nigerian athletes.
She highlighted the stark difference in treatment, showing that while athletes from other countries received well-organized and complete kits in suitcases, the Nigerian team was handed poorly packaged kits in nylon bags, which were reportedly inadequate and contained undersized outfits and no proper footwear. The AFN has since responded to her claims. AFN President Tonobok Okowa insisted that the kits provided were of international standard and that Amusan’s complaints were an exaggeration. He also revealed that Amusan had received special treatment, including a business class flight to Tokyo, which he said was at her demand. The National Sports Commission’s chairman, Shehu Dikko, also defended the kits, stating that the issue was likely about the packaging rather than the quality.
Despite the back-and-forth, Amusan has remained focused on her performance on the track. The 27-year-old superstar will now compete for the gold medal in the final, where she remains one of Nigeria’s brightest hopes for a medal on the world stage.
