World record breaker, Tobi Amusan 
Nigerians worldwide were inspired by the outstanding performance of our sportswomen who gave us a reason to be “Proudly Nigerians” again. These women have done an excellent job putting the Nigerian flag in the tabloids; this time, for the best reasons. One of them who has consistently brought glory to her name and the nation at large is Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan.
Tobi Amusan, now popularly called the Amazon, has had a golden year in her career this year; she became a holder of three records.
- She set a new world record in the 2022 World Athletics Championship with a winning time of 12.12 seconds in the semifinal, followed up by a wind-assisted 12.06 seconds in the final to take the gold medal.
- At the 2022 Commonwealth Games that was held in Birmingham, she won gold for Team Nigeria as she broke the 16-year standing record within 12.03s.
- On the 8th of September, at the 2022 Wanda Diamond League season that took place in Weltklasse Zurich, Tobi Amusan broke another world record finishing with a winning time of 12.29s.
With an outstanding performance at the recently concluded World Athletics Championships, in Oregon, USA, Tobi got everyone around the globe talking about her. The 25- year old World Champion was born and raised in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Although at the infant stage of her training, she trained as a footballer, until it was observed that her speed was usually faster than the ball; therefore, she was channeled to the track event direction.
In Tobi’s story, one can say the fruit has not fallen far from the tree. When narrating her experiences while growing up as a teenager, she mentioned that her both parents were teachers; hence her strict upbringing, In an interview with World Athletics, she recounted that her both parents had an athletics history. Her father once played Volleyball at the State Level and her mother was a sprinter during her college years. Due to her parents’ background in sports, one would think that Tobi’s sports career must have been heavily influenced by her parents. However, quite the opposite happened. Apparently, Tobi’s Dad had frowned at her sports training due to the experience her mother had with the state’s sports authorities during her active years as an athlete. The popular speculation was that Mrs. Amusan had gotten injured during her active years as a sprinter for her state but she was abandoned and not given adequate medical attention by the State’s sports association. Tobi’s determination coupled with her mother’s encouragement and support kept her going.
As inspiring as Tobi’s story is, we can’t help but mention that her success results from consistent hard work, resilience, and perseverance. On November 8, 2016, at about 7 a.m Texas time, Oluwatobiloba Amusan wrote on Twitter, “Unknown now, but I will be UNFORGETTABLE … I will Persist until I SUCCEED ….”
At the time she tweeted this, she had just become the second athlete for The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). And she was to be named C-USA Female Track Athlete of the Year since the university joined C-USA. Doing what she knows to do best, our Amazon made fame on her campus as she broke a 33-year standing record at the EL Paso UTEP Invitational within the timeframe of 12.83s. This count has her first exposure to the limelight outside the borders of the African continent.
Prior to this time, Tobi Amusan had performed so well and garnered many medals in games across Africa that she was not only recognized as a Local Champion but a Continental Champion. In 2013, she was a silver medallist at the 2013 African Youth Championships. This was followed by her 2015 victory in the 100 meters hurdles at the African Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa. The same year, she won the gold medal in the 100 meters hurdles. In the midst of all these victories and wins, she didn’t settle for less. Years later, the whole world is talking about the amazing Tobi Amusan from Nigeria.
Tobi Amusan is likely to be on the covers of sports magazines and newspapers throughout this year because with every passing month, is another news about her record-breaking performance. On the 8th of September, at the 2022 Wanda Diamond League season that took place in Weltklasse Zurich, Tobi Amusan broke another world record, proving to the world that record-breaking is her thing.