Tobi Amusan once again proved why she remains one of Africa’s greatest athletics stars after powering Nigeria to its first gold medal at the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana.
The world record holder delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 100m hurdles final on Wednesday, racing to victory in 12.83 seconds to secure her third continental title in the event.
Nicknamed the “Tobi Express,” Amusan looked unstoppable throughout the competition.
After finishing fastest in both the heats and semi-finals, the Nigerian sprint queen carried that dominance into the final, where she controlled the race from start to finish despite technical issues affecting the stadium’s timing system.
Although the malfunction delayed the release of the official results, there was never any doubt about the winner as Amusan crossed the line comfortably ahead of the field to reclaim her continental crown.
Speaking after the race, the 28-year-old admitted she was unaware of her finishing time immediately after the event but emphasized that securing victory for Nigeria remained her primary focus.
The triumph marks another major milestone in Amusan’s glittering career, following her previous African Championship victories in Asaba in 2018 and Mauritius in 2022.
Nigeria’s celebration was further boosted by an impressive performance from Adaobi Tabugbo, who claimed bronze with a time of 13.26 seconds to secure her first individual senior international medal for Team Nigeria.
Zimbabwe’s Ashley Miller finished second in 13.24 seconds to deny Nigeria a one-two finish in the final.
Amusan’s gold medal provided a huge lift for Team Nigeria on Day Two of the championships, with the country ending the day on another high after winning gold in the mixed 4x400m relay.
The Nigerian quartet of Ezekiel Asuquo, Toheebat Jimoh, Victor Sampson, and Patience Okon-George combined brilliantly to deliver another standout performance for the nation in Accra.
