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Duro Ikhazuagbe Live in Paris

After winning the women’s 100m hurdles heat 1 in a modest 12.49secs to qualify for the semi-finals on Friday, Tobi Amusan, insisted yesterday that this is her season to hang an Olympic Games medal here at Paris 2024.

The world record holder at 12.12 secs won the heat ahead of USA’s Alaysha Johnson (12.61) and Janeek Brown (12.84) of Jamaica. Amusan’s 12.49 seconds is second in the summary of Friday’s semifinals. Only Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.42) who is the defending champion from Tokyo 2021 is ahead of the Amusan.

Speaking in the mixed zone shortly after her heat, Amusan insisted that having attended two Olympic Games with no podium appearance, this was surely her season to win a medal.

“This is my season. I have prepared hard enough and executed my race the way I want it. After attending my first Olympic at barely 18 or 19 years old and a bit more experienced for the second but didn’t get on the podium. This third time out here, I think I am ready for the podium. This is my season,” gushed the African and Commonwealth Games champion in the barrier sprint event.

She dismissed insinuations that she is under pressure to deliver as the world record holder in the event. “You just said that I am the world record holder, there is no pressure on me,” she joked with reporters fielding questions in the mixed zone.

Amusan stressed that as the world record holder, it sure has its ups and downs. “You know what, going into my races, I don’t carry that weight of world record holder on my shoulder. I go in there like an underdog and do my own thing in my way,” concludes “Tobi Express” as she’s fondly called by her Nigerian fans.

After the semifinals on Friday, Nigerians will have to wait for another 24 hours for the finals of the 100m hurdles event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Glory Alozie was the last Nigerian sprint hurdler to win a medal for the country at the Sydney Olympic Games in Australia 24 years ago. Ever since, no athlete, (male or female) has made the podium in the sprint hurdles. Only Amusan has rewritten Alozie’s National and African record in the event and is waiting to go a step further in claiming the elusive gold on Saturday.

TEAM NIGERIA FIXTURES TODAY

CANOE SPRINT

Women’s Canoe single 200m heats-9:30 am

Ayomide Powei Bello

Beaty Akinaere Otuedo

ATHLETICS

Women’s 100m x 4 Relay Rd 1- 10:10 am

Men’s 100m x 4 Relay Rd 1 -10:35 am

WRESTLING

Women’s Freestyle 58kg 1/4 -10:00 am

Odunayo Folashade Adekuoroye

                  Vs

Chaimas Fouzia Aoussi (Algeria)

ATHLETICS

Men’s 800m Repechage Rd-11:00 am

Edose Ibadin

WEIGHTLIFTING

Women’s 59kg-2:00 pm

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal

ATHLETICS

Women’s Long Jump Final- 7:00 pm

Ruth Usoro

Ese Brume

Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor