Tobi Amusan Shares Knee Injury Impact on Her 100m Hurdles Race

Nigeria’s sprint hurdler, Tobi Amusan, has revealed that she went into the women’s 100m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games with a knee injury from a fall during training camp.

She mentioned that this injury made her unsure about her fitness before Thursday’s race in Glasgow.

Amusan finished third in the final. She clocked 12.60 seconds, while Devynne Charlton from the Bahamas won gold in 12.33 seconds. Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds took silver with a time of 12.41 seconds.

This result stopped her chance to become the first woman to win three straight Commonwealth titles in this event. She had previously won gold in 2018 and 2022.

Before the final, Amusan looked strong. She won her heat in a wind-assisted time of 12.19 seconds. That time was not eligible for records but was still the fastest ever recorded at the Games regardless of conditions.

After the race, Amusan spoke about her fitness. She said the injury affected her mindset going into the competition.

“I had a pretty bad fall at the training camp, so I’ve been really iffy about my knee coming into this. I’ve just been thankful that God kept it together for me, so I was able to get it done once again. Honestly, with what I’m dealing with right now, I just want to go get treatment,” she stated.

Even with the injury, Amusan did not want to use it as an excuse for not winning gold.

“Going into the race, I had one mission in mind, and that’s to get the gold medal. But things happen, and I’m not one of those that needs to give excuses. I’m just thankful to have gotten the bronze medal, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” she said.

When asked what she would change if she could run the race again, Amusan focused on her warm-up routine instead of the injury.

“Maybe I would have warmed up a little less when I felt something, and just prepped for the race instead of trying to push it,” she explained.

Amusan was also asked about her consistent podium finishes despite challenges. The two-time former champion credited her strong work ethic.

“It’s all been hard work, dedication, and being disciplined, and knowing what I want in the sport,” she said. “My goals are the things that actually wake me up every day and keep me going.”

She shared that her heat run gave her a sense of her fitness, even though she does not focus too much on times.

“I’m in very great shape. I don’t go into races expecting crazy fast times. The goal is to execute. I might not have executed the best final today, but I’m just thankful I was able to come out here and get the bronze medal,” she said.

Amusan also explained why she wore gloves before the final. She mentioned the cold weather in Glasgow.

“It was a little bit cold out there, and I’m an amiq, so I tend to stay warm every opportunity I get. I had to do my best to make sure I kept myself warm out there,” she said.

When asked if the rise of younger Nigerian athletes added pressure on her, she disagreed. She said these young talents are a source of pride.

“Nigeria has great talent, and it’s an honour and it’s amazing to see that it’s not just Tobi that gets mentioned every time global and world stars are acknowledged.

“I’m just thankful that we have these amazing talents coming out of Nigeria, and they’re doing what they need to do. It’s only up from here for them,” she added.