Reigning world champion in the 100m hurdles Tobi Amusan has added a Masters’ to her enviable collection of wins.
Ms. Amusan who shared pictures and videos from the graduation ceremony on her Instagram account wrote: “ELOHIM is forever WORTHY of my PRAISE! Sat in my bed on a cold Tuesday night after an intense workout session on the 14th of Dec. 2021…Thoughts of the oncoming athletics year crept into my mind; long story short.
“If 2022 …; it’s gonna be my quit year! I cried; PRAYED & came to the conclusion that I might as well start my Master’s program.
“Took my laptop; browsed through UTEP’s MSc college requirements & of course I needed an online course due to the nature of my job. I called one of my mentors #omoba_abiola1, & proceeded to see him…sent the email to the liberal arts faculty advisor, submitted the required documents & got enrolled in less than two weeks.”
Tobi Amusan who became the first Nigerian athlete ever to win a World Athletics Diamond League trophy, current Commonwealth and World champion, ended the year 2022 on a historic and record-laden note.
She started the year by successfully defending her African Championships title in Mauritius in June before travelling to Paris to smash her 12.42 seconds African record.
Amusan ran 12.41 seconds at a Diamond League meeting in Paris before storming Benin City, Nigeria, to rewrite the 12.63 seconds Nigerian Championships record set in 1997 by Angela Atede in Lagos.
The reigning African champion ran 12.58 seconds to add the championship record to her collections before going to the biggest stage in world athletics to achieve legendary status.
Amusan produced one of the biggest surprises of the World Championships when she sped to a world record of 12.12 seconds in the semifinals of the 100m hurdles, following it with a wind-assisted 12.06 seconds in the final to win gold.
She went on to win the Commonwealth Games title in a Games record of 12.30 seconds and in the process became the first Nigerian track and field athlete to successfully defend an individual title at the Games.
A tribute written by lawyer, relational, and workplace expert, Charles Okeibunor on the occasion of her breaking the 100m hurdles world record still resonates.
Amusan shines…
Her tears gave me chills.
When you are being hailed in faraway land and you remember the challenges of motherland,
It will be difficult not to betray emotions.
In my heart, I asked is she still Nigerian?
Usually the commentator would say “Nigerian Born (insert new country) Citizen”
Only for me to hear the national anthem.
I confess I did shed a tear or two with her.
Dear Amusa. Thanks for being a glimmer of light in pitch darkness, we haven’t been waking up to very good national news in a while. So, I wish you many more successes.
Please, don’t change nationality because your people are desperate for hope wherever we can find it.
But if you do for the sake of better value, we won’t judge you.
We will always see you as ours in blood and love. Just like we do Anthony Joshua.😊
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians all over the world.
Good people, Great Nation 🇳🇬
Charles Okeibunor
