World record holder Tobi Amusan believes she can achieve a podium finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after reaching the semi-finals in the women’s 100m hurdles event, Afrosport reports.
Amusan topped her Heat in a time of 12.49 seconds, ahead of America’s Alaysha Johnson (12.61 seconds), and Jamaica’s Janeek Brown (12.84 seconds).
In an interview posted by Making of Champions on X, the Ogun State-born athlete reflected on her trajectory at the Olympic Games since making her debut in 2016 in Rio and added that she feels like it’s now her season.
She said “The first time I came as an Olympian, I was like 18/19, the second time, I think I was a little bit experienced and I didn’t get on the podium, this time I think it’s my season.
“God is great, my third Olympics, the goal is to come out here and execute each round, I think I did a pretty decent job.
“I felt like we had three rounds, I just need to know where I am, you know I’m taking it quite easy and see how far I can go when I really press”.
When asked about the difference between her outing at the Paris 2024 event against her Olympics debut in Rio 2016 and then in Tokyo 2020, Amusan stated: “This year is more of having fun and executing my race and just keeping calm, and I think doing that is going in the right direction.”
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“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘭𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘯, 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 18/19, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪… pic.twitter.com/MHHHkj9Z0r— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) August 7, 2024
The World record holder stated further that she is not competing under pressure and prefers to act like an underdog heading into every race.
Amusan will compete in the semi-finals at the Stade de France on Friday with the final scheduled for Saturday.
She will be up against reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, Jamaica’s Danielle Williams, America’s Masai Russell and Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton among others.
