Amusan Smashes Meet Record to Strike Gold in Taiwan

​By Olatunji Adesina

​TAIPEI — Nigeria’s reigning hurdle queen, Tobi Amusan, continued her brilliant run of form on Saturday, delivering a masterclass performance to claim the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles at the New Taipei Athletics Open in Taiwan.

​The 29-year-old world-class sprinter crossed the finish line in a blistering 12.72 seconds, effortlessly shattering the previous meeting record of 12.80 seconds. The former record was held by American Olympic silver medalist and former world champion Nia Ali.

​Total Dominance on the Track

​Amusan signaled her intentions early in the competition, completely dominating her qualifying heat. Running in Heat 2, she outpaced her rivals with smooth precision to secure her spot in the final.

​The final itself proved to be an exhibition of pure power and technical mastery. While the home crowd cheered on their local favorites, Amusan seized absolute control of the race by the fourth hurdle. Her explosive acceleration left the rest of the field battling for minor spots.

​She opened up such a commanding lead that she crossed the finish line well before her nearest competitor cleared the final barrier, leaving the spectators in the stadium in absolute awe.

​Local Favorites Complete the Podium

​Taiwan’s Bo Ya Zhang put up a spirited chase to claim the silver medal, clocking a respectable time of 13.17 seconds. Her compatriot, Yi Po-an, secured the bronze medal for the host nation, finishing further back in 13.37 seconds. Neither, however, could match the sheer velocity of the Nigerian powerhouse.

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​A Golden Season in Motion

​Saturday’s triumph marks the second consecutive race this season where Amusan has rewritten the history books. Just weeks prior, she set a new event record at the Rabat Diamond League, proving that her preparations for the upcoming global athletic calendar are perfectly on track.

​With this latest victory, the three-time Senior Africa Athletics Championship winner has now claimed first place in three of her five outings this season. More impressively, she maintains a flawless podium streak, having placed in the top three of every single event she has entered this year. As the outdoor season intensifies, Amusan’s commanding form serves as a definitive warning shot to her global rivals.