Amusan loses battle of world champions in US
Tobi Amusan, the current world champion in the 100m hurdles, opened her 2023 outdoor season on Saturday by finishing second in the finals of the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, according to Sunday PUNCH.
Nia Ali of the United States won the race in 12.53 seconds to take home the gold medal.
Devyne Charlton of the Bahamas, the 2022 world indoor champion, rounded out the top three with a time of 12.64 seconds.
Amusan qualified for the final with the fourth-fastest time, clocking 12.74 seconds (+1.1 meters per second) in her season debut.
Ali, the 2019 world champion, clocked the fastest time in the qualifiers with a wind-aided 12.55secs (+2.8 m/s) after winning heat two comfortably ahead of Danielle Williams of Jamaica, the former world champion, who finished with 12.64secs.
The Tom Jones Invitational is an important pre-season event for athletes preparing for the competitive outdoor season.
Amusan competed in her second competitive meet since successfully defending her Diamond League 100m hurdle title in September 2022, setting a meeting record of 12.29 seconds.
The hurdler began her season with a win at the University of Auburn Meet in the United States last month.
The 26-year-old won the women's 200m in 23.38 seconds at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist defeated University of Auburn students Chante Clinkscale (23.56secs) and Ashantae Harvey (24.46secs).
Amusan had a successful 2022 season, becoming the first Nigerian world champion in an athletics event when she won the gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2022 World Championships, setting the current world record of 12.12 seconds.
The world champion will now focus on defending her titles and possibly breaking a world record at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August and the Diamond League this year.
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