Oluwatobilola Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m hurdles, demonstrated her dominance in the event by winning the Swedish leg of the Diamond League in Stockholm. She clocked an impressive time of 12.52 seconds, following her second-place finish in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she ran 12.45 seconds.
Another Nigerian athlete, Emmanuel Bamidele, performed well in the 400m event, securing the silver medal with a time of 45.48 seconds. He was narrowly defeated by South Africa’s Zakhiti Nene, who claimed the gold in 45.30 seconds.
However, Ese Brume, the silver medallist at the World Championships, faced a challenging competition and finished fifth in the women’s long jump event.
Amusan, Brume, Emmanuel, and other Nigerian athletes participating in the Diamond League will soon compete in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) national trials in Benin. These trials serve as the qualifier for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Over 160 athletes, including seven foreign-based stars, are expected to participate in the trials, which will take place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium from July 5 to 7. Some of the foreign-based athletes have already arrived in Benin City, attracting a large turnout of fans eager to watch their training sessions.
The AFN official accompanying the advanced team to Edo State expects a greater crowd compared to the previous year, as the exceptional performances of Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume at the last World Championships have garnered increased attention and excitement.
