Oluwatosin Enesi
As Nigerians curiously await the ruling of the Athletics Integrity Unit on women’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria says it is expecting the verdict in the next six days ahead of the 2023 World Championships, which will hold from August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
With eight days to the championships, Amusan’s chances of defending the title she won in Oregon last year is hanging in the balance after she was provisionally suspended by the AIU last month for missing three tests.
The AFN released the list of athletes that would represent the country at the championships on Tuesday, with the world champion excluded, although it was learnt her name was on the entry list sent to the World Athletics by the AFN.
Her name was also published among athletes for the Games by the World Athletics on Thursday but pending AIU ruling.
Technical Director of the AFN Samuel Onikeku also revealed that the hurdler is likely to defend her title once she is cleared by the AIU.
“We are waiting for the ruling of the AIU and it will be before the start of the championship. Once she is cleared, we believe that she will compete. We believe in the next six days, we should get the ruling,” Onikeku said.
He also said that the 26 athletes that would represent the country at the championships will not be camped but rather converge on Budapest to put finishing touches to their preparations.
“The athletes are converging on Budapest already. Every preparation has been going on and they will mostly be doing relay practices. Most of them have their personal coaches which we allow them to train with. Everyone will be in Budapest days before the competition starts.”
Amusan and long jumper, Ese Brume, won Nigeria’s only two medals at the championships last year. She raced to a new world record time of 12.12secs in the semi-finals, before running 12.06secs in the final to clinch the gold medal and become Nigeria’s first ever world champion and record holder in athletics while Brume got a silver medal in the long jump event.
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