World record holder, Tobi Amusan missed out on the chance to win a third consecutive women’s 100m hurdles title at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday, settling for bronze in the final with a time of 12.60 seconds.
Bahamas’ world indoor record holder Devynne Charlton claimed the gold in 12.33 seconds, while Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds took silver in 12.41 seconds.
Amusan had entered the competition as the favourite, boasting the fastest season’s best in the field at 12.28 seconds. She also won her heat in 12.19 seconds, albeit with a strong tailwind, finishing of Marione Fourie, who clocked 12.50 seconds, and Kerrica Hill, who ran 12.69 seconds.
However, the Nigerian could not reproduce her best form in the final as Charlton produced a dominant run to deny her a third successive Commonwealth Games title.
Before arriving in Glasgow, Amusan finished second at the star-studded Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, the same venue where she set the world record of 12.12 seconds four years ago.
The 29-year-old has clocked 12.28 seconds on three occasions this season and claimed two Diamond League victories in Paris and Rabat.
Amusan won her maiden Commonwealth Games title at the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, Australia, in 12.68 seconds, becoming the first Nigerian woman to win the women’s 100m hurdles at the Games.
Four years later in Birmingham, she successfully defended her title in a Games-record 12.30 seconds.
The Glasgow bronze brings an end to Amusan’s bid to win the Commonwealth 100m hurdles title three times consecutively, although she remains one of the leading sprint hurdlers in the world.
After the Commonwealth Games, Amusan will return to the Diamond League circuit, having already qualified for the final scheduled for September 4 and 5 in Brussels, Belgium.
She will also be seeking to reclaim the Diamond League title after winning three consecutive crowns from 2021 to 2023.
Credit: punchng.com
