Amusan wins Nigeria’s first gold at African Athletics Championships

Nigerian sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan delivered Team Nigeria’s first gold medal at the 2026 CAA African Senior Athletics Championships after winning the women’s 100m hurdles final in dominant fashion on Wednesday at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Accra.

The world record holder produced another commanding display to successfully defend her continental title, extending her dominance in African athletics and securing a third consecutive African Championships crown in the event.

Amusan had earlier cruised through the heats with a comfortable time of 12.82 seconds, signaling her readiness for the final. In the medal race, the Nigerian star surged ahead of the field with a composed performance to finish first and hand Nigeria its first gold medal of the competition.

Zimbabwe’s Ashley Miller claimed the silver medal, while Nigeria’s Adaobi Tabugbo completed the podium with bronze to give Team Nigeria a double finish in the event.

Speaking after the race, Amusan expressed pride in representing Nigeria on the continental stage.

“It’s always an honour to represent Nigeria. I’m happy to contribute to the team’s success and we hope to continue building momentum,” she said.

The victory further strengthens Amusan’s reputation as Africa’s leading hurdler and adds another milestone to her decorated career, which already includes a world championship title and multiple Diamond League victories.

Team Nigeria also recorded success in the field events on the second day of competition. Divine Oladipo secured silver in the women’s discus throw with a mark of 55.37m, while Obiageri Amaechi added a bronze medal in the same event after throwing 53.23m.

Nigeria’s sprint athletes also impressed in the preliminary rounds of the men’s and women’s 100m events. Favour Ashe advanced to the semi-finals after successfully overturning an initial false-start disqualification through an official appeal by Team Nigeria.

In the women’s 100m heats, Rosemary Chukwuma and Miracle Ezechukwu both qualified comfortably for the next round, boosting Nigeria’s hopes of additional medals in the sprint events.

The African Senior Athletics Championships will continue in Accra until May 17, with Nigeria expected to compete strongly in the relay races, sprint finals, and several field events.

For Amusan, attention is expected to shift back to the international athletics circuit after the championships, but her latest triumph once again underlines her dominance in African hurdles competition.