Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, a top contender for a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, experienced an unexpected defeat at the Mike Holloway Pro Classic in Florida. Grace Stark, the reigning US College champion, decisively won the race.
Amusan, who holds the world record in the women’s 100m hurdles, finished second with a time of 12.60 seconds (-1.7m/s), just behind Stark’s impressive 12.58 seconds. Stark’s victory highlights her readiness for the Paris Olympics.
Stark, the NCAA Champion, has shown exceptional form this season, particularly at the US Olympic trials where she set a personal best of 12.31 seconds, finishing second to Masai Russell’s world-leading 12.25 seconds.
Stark’s consistent performance and convincing victory over the former world champion position her as a strong medal contender for her Olympic debut. Her recent performances signal her potential for success in Paris.
Despite the loss, Amusan remains a formidable contender, having clocked an impressive 12.49 seconds to win her heat race – the second-fastest time this season, just behind her 12.40 seconds in Jamaica.
At 27, Amusan’s form indicates she can still make a significant impact at the Games. With two weeks until the women’s 100m hurdles event in Paris, she has time to perfect her preparations for a peak performance, a feat she has achieved in previous major championships.
Amusan aspires to become Nigeria’s first athlete to win a world outdoor and Olympic title, or at least medal, following in the footsteps of Glory Alozie’s silver at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Meanwhile, US champion and world leader Masai Russell, another strong contender for a medal in Paris, finished third in the race with a time of 12.66 seconds, marking her second loss to Amusan that night.
The trio is set to compete in Paris, each aiming for their first Olympic medal.
