Amusan battles Olympic medallists, world champion for Diamond League final ticket
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, who inexplicably failed to qualify for the final of the women’s 100 metres hurdles at the just-concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has been presented the opportunity to put the records straight by the Wanda Diamond League, in Lausanne, Switzerland, today.
The world 100m hurdles record holder was tipped to win her first Olympic medal in Paris, but she failed to make the final of the race won by Masai Russel of the United States.
In today’s race is a strong cast, which includes Amusan’s long-standing rival, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, who won the bronze medal in Paris, as well as, silver medallist, Cyrena Samba-Mayela. Also in the race are former world record holder, Keni Harrison, and current world champion, Danielle Williams.
In a discipline in which no athlete has yet secured qualification for the final, it is a race, which promises to be high stakes as well as high quality.
Paris 2024 men’s 200 meters winner, Letsile Tebogo, will also be on hand to defend the title he won last year when he was still seen as a rising star in the hugely competitive world of men’s sprinting.
He is returning to the Diamond League as the man to beat, having claimed bronze and silver medals at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, before storming to 200m gold in Paris.
Tebogo’s victory in Monaco earlier this season means he is already on course to qualify for the final, but he will want to cement his status as a title favourite against the likes of Fred Kerley, Erriyon Knighton and Alexander Ogando in Lausanne.
The Wanda Diamond League is the premier one-day meeting series in athletics. It comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 14 series