By Adeolu Johnson
World record holder, Tobi Amusan aka the Express continued her return to form in 2026, equalling her season’s best with a superb 12.28 at the Diamond League in Paris yesterday.
The Nigerian initially scrambled to catch Nadine Visser, but she rallies in the second 50 metres and eases through to her second Diamond League win of the season.
It is the third time in 2026 that Amusan will be running a very fast 12.28s, pulling clear of Grace Stark who was 2nd in 12.38s and Alaysha Johnson 3rd in 12.39
The winning time ranks as the joint third-fastest performance of Amusan’s career. Her world record of 12.12 seconds, set at the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022, remains her quickest run, followed by the 12.24 seconds she recorded at the Meeting de Paris in 2025.
Amusan has last month won another title in the women’s 100m hurdles at the African Athletics Championships, a feat that came on the same day Nigeria won medals in other events at the competition.
Amusan, leading Nigeria’s medal charge in Day 2 of the sporting event, clocked 12.83 seconds to win gold ahead of her rivals and clinch the title in the event’s final held at the University of Ghana in Accra.
It was her third gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles in the competition. In 2018, she got her first African Championship title in Asaba, Delta State. The world record holder defended her crown four years later in Mauritius.
On a day that Nigeria were standout performers, Adaobi Tabugo (13:26) finished behind Zimbabwe’s Ashley Miller (13:24) to win bronze. Tabugo came third in her heat to qualify for the final
The 28-year-old appears to be peaking at the right time with the Diamond League finale and the Commonwealth Games 2026 still to come.
