Action resumes for Nigerian athletes today, when they take to the track during the morning sessions of Day 8, at the ongoing IAAF World Championships.
The women’s 100m Hurdles heats will be the major event for the morning session, and it’ll have two Nigerian hurdlers wearing the green and white vest of the country.
Top on the list is NCAA Champion and second fastest ever Nigerian in the event, Tobi Amusan. The 20-year old has been placed in Heat 5, and won’t have a major worry on qualifying for the semifinals, with her strongest competitor in the heat being in USA’s Christinna Manning.
Amusan has a Season’s Best (SB) of 12.57s, which she ran on her way to winning the US College title. The time is the second fastest ever by a Nigerian and in Africa, just behind Glory Alozie’s National Record (NR) of 12.44s. She’s ranked in the top 10 in the world this year, and has been tipped as a huge medal contender.
Former National Champion, Lindsey Lindley will be her compatriot in the event. Lindley has a SB of 12.90s, and has been placed in Heat 3 against World Record (WR) in the event, Kendra Harrison.
Meanwhile, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor will be back later in the evening to compete, and have her eyes set on winning the country’s first medal at the competition.
Okagbare-Ighoteguonor will have to leap way higher than her SB of 6.77m, if she’s to have a chance of upsetting medal favorites; Tianna Bartoletta, Britney Reese and Ivana Spanovic.
