Amid the daily challenges Nigerians face, Tobi Amusan shines as a beacon of hope. Born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, in 1997 to educators Mr. and Mrs. Amusan, Tobi is the youngest of three siblings.
Initially drawn to sprinting, Tobi quickly made her mark, earning a silver medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2014 African Youth Games and securing the African junior title in 2015. Just six months later, she clinched gold at the African Games in Brazzaville, Congo.
While studying at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Tobi broke the 13-second barrier with a time of 12.83 seconds, which set the stage for her to compete in the Rio 2016 Olympics, where she reached the semi-finals. Despite setbacks, Tobi remained resolute, sharing her determination in a powerful 2016 tweet:
“Unknown now, but I will be UNFORGETTABLE… I will Persist until I SUCCEED…”
— Tobi Amusan, Twitter, 8 November 2016
Her perseverance paid off in 2017 when she set a personal best of 12.63 seconds and went on to win multiple championships, including the Commonwealth Games and African titles in 2018, and retaining her African Games crown in 2019. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), she narrowly missed a medal, but her breakthrough came at the 2022 World Championships, where she shattered the world record in the semi-finals with a time of 12.12 seconds.
Despite a temporary suspension in 2023 due to missed drug tests, which was later overturned, Tobi bounced back stronger than ever, securing her third consecutive Diamond League title and continuing to dominate in African competitions.
As she prepares for her third Olympic appearance in Paris, Tobi remains focused on her goals, stating:
“The goal was to come out and win this gold. Honestly, I believe in my abilities, but I was not expecting a world record at these championships.”
— World Athletics Ratifies Tobi Amusan’s 100m Hurdles Record, 24 July 2022
Tobi Amusan’s journey is a testament to resilience and the relentless pursuit of success. Her story proves that with unwavering determination, one can overcome any obstacle and achieve greatness.
