Nigeria’s superstar and world record holder in the Women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan has withdrawn from Thursday’s Diamond League final taking place in Zurich, Switzerland.
The highly anticipated event commenced on Wednesday and will conclude on Thursday, featuring some of the globe’s elite athletes vying for a prize of $50,000 across various disciplines.
Amusan, who qualified as the second-best competitor in her event with a total of 27 points, was replaced by Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas.
The reconfigured line-up now includes Charlton, alongside world champion Danielle Williams, Ackera Nugent from Jamaica, Nadine Visser representing the Netherlands, Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, and Selina von Jackowski.
American athletes Tonea Marshall, Grace Stark, and Kendra Harrison will also compete.
Despite her withdrawal, Amusan retains the record for the 100m hurdles, clocking an impressive 12.29 seconds in September 2022 when she secured her second Diamond League title.
The 28-year-old athlete has achieved remarkable success in the competition, winning consecutively in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
According to speculations, her withdrawal may be a strategic decision to prepare for the upcoming World Championships scheduled for next month in Tokyo.
In her last appearance at the Lausanne Diamond League, Amusan encountered difficulties, stumbling at the first hurdle and finishing fifth with a time of 12.82 seconds.
In a related development, Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has been delisted from the Women’s 200m event, despite meeting the qualifying standards.
Conversely, African record holder in the men’s 400m hurdles, Ezekiel Nathaniel is set to compete in Zurich.
Nathaniel recently celebrated his first professional victory in Lausanne, finishing with a time of 48.08 seconds.
Additionally, another Nigerian athlete, Udodi Onwuzurike, who made his Diamond League debut last week, has been included in the line-up for the Men’s 200m final.
