Five takeaways from Tobi Amusan’s record-breaking feat, By Tosin Oluwalowo

It’s no gainsaying that I am – like almost all Nigerians – over the moon over Tobi Amusan’s eye-catching feat of winning the women’s 100m hurdles gold medal at the just concluded World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA, becoming the first Nigerian to do so since the competition started in 1983.

She did not only win a gold medal, she also ran a World Record time twice on her way to the podium, breaking Kendra Harrison’s World Record of 12.20s to win her semi-final in a blistering time of 12.12s before even lowering it with a time of 12.06s (eventually adjudged not legal due to the wind reading of 2.5m/s).

As someone who covered athletics for The PUNCH newspaper, I am familiar with majority of Nigeria’s track and field athletes and can say one or two things about them.

For Tobi, my ‘relationship’ with her started after my Instagram Live session with her best friend and “Connie” Ese Brume April 17, 2020, which she attended and was active all through. We have had few chats here and there ever since.

More than ever before, Tobi’s record-breaking feat has taught me five great lessons, I would love to share.

1.       Tough people overcome tough times

It was Robert M. Schuler who wrote the bestselling book, “Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!” an attribute Tobi has greatly epitomized over the years. Bursting into the scene at the 2015 All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo where she claimed the women’s 100m hurdles title, before announcing herself on the global stage with a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Same year, she also won the gold medal at the African Championships in Asaba, before retaining her Africa Games crown in Rabat, Morocco a year later.

Having established herself as a star, Nigerians hoped on her to bring light to a disastrous outing at the World Athletics Champions in Doha on the last day of the competition (also with Ese Brume in action), but narrowly missed the podium after finishing fourth 200th of a second behind Jamaica’s Danielle Williams. Further disappointment came at the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games held last year as she again fell just one spot of the podium, with another fourth-place finish. Just before the Olympics, the 25-year-old experienced one of the biggest disappointments on home turf when the electronic timer failed to read after a race many believed would have seen her beat Gloria Alozie’s 23-year African Record of 12.44s at the Nigeria Olympics Trials at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos June 18, 2021.

One who never gives up, Amusan has always found a way to pick herself from disappointments and hoping for the best. It started getting better when she won the Diamond League Trophy in Zurich, becoming the first Nigerian to win the trophy September 9, 2021 and breaking Alozie’s African record in the process with a time of 12.42s, a time she has lowered twice including at the heats of the 2022 World Championships, running 12.40s.

2.       Speak positive things

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21

“For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” – Mark 11:23

Tobi’s record-breaking achievement was indeed years of positive speaking, speaking into existence things that were not until they became a reality.

During previous record holder Kendra Harrison’s birthday on September 18, 2016, Tobi promised to break her 12.20s record soon. Mind you are Personal Best time then was 12.83s.

“Happy Birthday @KeniUSATF 100mHurdles Record Holder… Watch out I’m gonna break it soon,” Amusan wrote on Twitter.

True to her word, she broke Harrison’s World Record with the American on the track.

About two months later, she was again speaking her tomorrow into existence, she wrote on Twitter that a day would come when she would become “unforgettable”.

“Unknown now, but  I will be UNFORGETTABLE … I will Persist until I SUCCEED,” she tweeted on November 8, 2016.  

Just a day before making history, while signing off Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s victory board after the Bahamas runner won the women’s 400m title, Amusan called herself incoming World Record holder and World Champion.

“Tobi Amusan Incoming World Record Holder & World Champion 100mh ARH/DLC (African Record Holder/Diamond League Champion),” she signed out. And less than 24 hours later, she became all she said she would become both breaking the World Record and also winning the World Championships.

3.       Keep good company

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

The friendship that exists between Ese Brume and Tobi Amusan is one that cannot be quantified, in fact they call themselves “Connie” (who knows the history/meaning abeg?). I remember at Yabatech last June, Brume had to pause her interview with me to watch Tobi run, jump in excitement after she won her race. Luckily, they compete around the same time/day in many major championships and have constantly become Nigeria’s medal hope when nothing seems coming.

This friendship has helped on each of them, with both athletes helping the other to achieve greatness. Brume won the Commonwealth gold in Glasgow in 2014, Amusan won the Commonwealth gold four years later in Gold Coast Australia. Brume broke Chioma Ajunwa’s 25-year long jump African Record May 29, 2021, Amusan broke Alozie’s 23-year record September the same year (Get ready Ese, World Record is coming).

4.       Rejoice with others

“Ùyò meyo lé’hun osan okan mi o eh (The joy I have expressed for others shall be my portion too),” popular musician Teni sang in her hit rave ‘Uyo Meyo’

Despite the disappointment of missing the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, like a true friend Amusan was Brume’s No.1 cheerleader,

“I didn’t do as much as I wanted to do to get to the podium, but I have my roommate, by best friend and my sister. I won’t let my own setback hinder me from going to cheer her on, I had to brace myself up and I went out there gunning for her and she did me, herself, her coach and the entire nation proud,” Amusan said in an interview with Making of Champions days after her Olympics.

After being a cheerleader for a long time, Amusan’s day of rejoicing finally came, with the whole nation rising to hail her for putting Nigeria on the global map of success.

5.       Believe in God

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:27

“No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” – Matthew 19:26

“Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” – Luke 1:37

While all of the other factors listed above played one part or the other in bringing Amusan to where she is, the ultimate factor, I believe, in getting the unimaginable result which was even doubted by athletics great Michael Johnson is God.

While Amusan and Brume have developed a strong bond and friendship with each other, they have also developed unequalled love for God. Brume made this news just after winning bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics when she announced she was going to present her medal to the Founder of Living Faith Church Bishop David Oyedepo, which she eventually did.

The ladies also never stopped talking about how they have only been able to achieve all they have through God’s help, with both Amusan and Brume seen practically praying during competitions.