Amusan fails to qualify for 100 metres hurdles final as she crashes out spectacularly in semis

NIGERIA'S greatest medal hope at the ongoing Paris Olympics Tobi Amusan has crashed out of the tournament after finished third in the semi finals of the women's 100 metre hurdles with a disappointing time of 12.55 seconds.

Amusan, 27, the world record holder in the event, had been impressive in her heat, qualifying for the semi final comfortably with a time of 12.49 seconds. She had been expected to go on to challenge for the gold medal but has now crashed out spectacularly, raising the prospect of Team Nigeria returning from Paris without any medals.

In what has been a torrid games for Nigeria so far, the country has failed to get on the medals table with just two days to go. Amusan had been central to Nigeria's medals hopes in Paris, ahead of a small group of other elite athletes like long jumper Ese Brume and teenage 400 meter runner Samuel Ogazi but all of them have now crashed out of their events.

On Wednesday morning, Amusan calmed Nigerian nerves a bit, leading a pack of eight athletes homes in her heat, followed by Alaysha Johnson of the US with a time of 12.61 and Jamaica’s Janeek Brown, who also qualified for the semi finals with a time of 12.84 seconds. Today, however, all that hope faded as she failed to make tomorrow's finals.

Before the Olympics, Amusan had set the indoor record for the African 60m hurdles twice in January and February. In March, she won her third consecutive African Games title in Ghana and then anchored the Nigerian women’s 4x100m team to gold, as well as in the African Championships in Cameroon three months later.

A three-time Diamond League winner, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, two-time African champion and three-time African Games gold medallist, Amusan has participated in two Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020. Nigeria is now hoping that one of the country's lesser stars will save her blushes and win a medal to prevent the country leaving France with nothing.