August, 26 2022.
By: Chinedum Ohanusi
Reigning World and Commonwealth Games champion, Oluwatobilola Amusan on Friday night won the silver in 100 meter hurdles, at the Diamond League Meeting in Lussane, Switzerland.
Amusan who is also world and Commonwealth Record holder in the event, hoped to extend his exhilarating good form, that saw her win the Gold in Oregon USA, in a wind assisted time of 12:06 Secs, the same night the Ogun State born sprinter ran 12.12 Secs to reset the world record.
In a space of less than two weeks, she also lowered the Commonwealth Games record, when winning the Gold medal, in a time of 12.30 Sec, in Birmingham.
But in Friday's night race, with a strong field that includes reigning Olympic Champion, a tired looking Amusan was unable to rekindle her recent superlative form; and had to overcome a slow start, to finish second, behind Tokyo 2020 Gold medal winner, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Paraguay.
Camacho-Quinn won the event in a new Meeting Record of 12.34s (-0.9).
Amusan's time of 12.45 Secs was clearely a far cry from her form even before the World Championships, but it was good enough to qualify her for the next leg in Zurich, Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Tia Jones of the United States ran a new Personal Best of 12.47 Secs to finish 3rd.
The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions, comprising fourteen of the best invitational athletics meetings.
The series held mostly at iconic cities, sits in the top tier of the World Athletics, one-day meetings.