Defending champion Tobi Amusan stormed to the semifinal of the 100 metres hurdle event of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest after clocking 12.48s(0.4) to win the fifth heat.
He finished far ahead of Jamaican Megan Tapper at 12.51sec, United States Michelle Jenneke at 12.71 and Natalia Christofi at 12.90, who all qualified from heat 5.
American Kendra Harrison finished with the fastest time in the heats, having returned the time of 12.24 in Heat 3 but Amusan could have finished even with a better time if he hadn’t deliberately slowed down towards the end of the race in her own heat.
The Commonwealth champion will continue her chase for glory when she filed out for the semifinal today. She is in Heat 2 and is expected to progress to the final when she stormed the tracks at 7:45 pm.
The athlete’s start to the tournament will certainly gladden the heart of her fans after her build-up had been blighted by a temporary suspension for a doping violation which was lifted only days before the competition.
