Tobi Amusan ran 12.40 seconds in the semi-finals of the 100 metres hurdles at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and broke the world record. The run announced her to a global athletics audience that had known her as a consistent African champion but not yet as a world-record holder, and it began a period of intense public attention that has continued ever since.
She was born on 23 April 1997 in Ogun State and developed her athletic career through Nigerian school sports before earning a scholarship to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in the United States, where she trained under a college athletics system that gave her access to professional coaching and facilities unavailable in Nigeria at the time. That American university pipeline has produced multiple Nigerian track and field stars and is increasingly the standard development route for Nigerian athletes with professional ambitions.
The period following her world record was not without complication. A doping control dispute arose around the timing of her sample collection at the 2022 World Championships, and World Athletics initially withheld ratification of the record pending investigation. She was subsequently cleared, and her record and achievements stand. As of 2026, she is Nigeria’s most prominent active track and field athlete and one of the fastest women over hurdles in history.
In brief
Full name
Tobi Amusan
Date of birth
23 April 1997
Birthplace
Ogun State, Nigeria
Nationality
Nigerian
Event
100 metres hurdles
University
University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)
World record
12.40 seconds (2022 World Athletics Championships, Eugene)
Major titles
Commonwealth Games gold, African Athletics Championships gold, World Athletics Championships finalist
Net worth estimate (2026)
~$500k to $1.5m (multiple sources; estimate, not verified)
Early life and athletic development
Tobi Amusan was born on 23 April 1997 in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria. She showed athletic talent from an early age, competing in school athletics and being identified as having exceptional speed and hurdle technique before she had access to professional coaching. Nigeria’s school sports system, while under-resourced compared to its potential, provides the first identification point for most of the country’s athletic talent.
Her path to the University of Texas at El Paso followed the route that multiple Nigerian athletes have taken in recent decades, with a scholarship offer giving her access to NCAA Division I athletics infrastructure, professional-standard coaching, and the training environment necessary to compete at world level. At UTEP, her times in the 100 metres hurdles improved consistently year on year, and she began competing at international level for Nigeria while still a student athlete.
She returned to Nigeria’s national team programme after completing her university career and has been based primarily in the United States for training purposes, using the coaching and facilities available to elite American track and field athletes. That decision to train where the best resources are available rather than returning to Nigeria full time is a practical reality for most of Nigeria’s world-class track athletes.
World record and championship career
At the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Tobi Amusan ran 12.40 seconds in the semi-finals, breaking the previous 100 metres hurdles world record. The run was one of the fastest ever recorded in the event and announced Nigeria’s presence in the women’s sprint hurdles at a level the country had never previously achieved. She went on to finish in the medal positions in the final.
The world record brought with it immediate scrutiny. World Athletics flagged a procedural issue related to the timing of her doping control sample collection on the day of the record. She was provisionally suspended pending investigation, a development that attracted significant media coverage and generated strong reactions from Nigerian sports bodies and fans. She was subsequently cleared and her record ratified, a resolution that was widely welcomed.
She has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and at the African Athletics Championships, and has consistently reached finals at the Diamond League circuit, which is the highest level of annual competition below the World Championships and Olympic Games. Her performances across the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons placed her consistently among the top three women globally in the 100 metres hurdles event.
Personal life and family
Tobi Amusan keeps her personal life private and has not confirmed any relationship publicly. Her public communications focus almost entirely on athletics, training, and her advocacy for Nigerian sport. She has spoken about the importance of improved athletic infrastructure in Nigeria and has engaged with institutions working to develop the next generation of Nigerian track and field athletes.
She holds endorsement deals with athletics and lifestyle brands including Adidas, which has been her equipment sponsor through her major international campaigns. Her profile as a world-record holder and as one of the most globally visible Nigerian athletes currently active gives her sponsorship value that is reflected in the quality of brands she works with.
Net worth and finances
Tobi Amusan’s 2026 net worth is estimated at between $500,000 and $1.5 million by multiple sources covering African athletics. Track and field, even at world-record level, generates significantly lower commercial income than team sports or tennis, and her earnings primarily derive from Diamond League prize money, championship bonuses, and her Adidas sponsorship deal. The Nigerian government and Athletics Federation have provided support and recognition bonuses for her championship performances. Her net worth is expected to increase as her profile continues to grow and brands increase their investment in African women’s athletics.
Reader questions
What world record does Tobi Amusan hold?
Tobi Amusan set the 100 metres hurdles world record of 12.40 seconds in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The record was initially subject to a procedural dispute related to doping control timing, but she was cleared and the record was ratified.
Where did Tobi Amusan study?
She studied at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) on an athletics scholarship, which gave her access to NCAA Division I coaching and training facilities that significantly accelerated her athletic development. Her UTEP years produced consistent improvements in her hurdles times and prepared her for international championship competition.
What was the doping dispute about?
Following her world record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, World Athletics raised a procedural concern about the timing of her doping control sample collection on the day of the record. She was provisionally suspended pending investigation, but was subsequently cleared by the relevant tribunal and her record ratified. Nigerian sports bodies and fans were strongly supportive throughout the process.
What major titles has Tobi Amusan won?
She has won gold at the Commonwealth Games, multiple African Athletics Championship titles, and has been a consistent Diamond League finalist. She held the 100 metres hurdles world record as of 2022 and has been ranked among the top three women globally in the event across the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons.
What is Tobi Amusan’s net worth?
Multiple sources estimate her net worth at between $500,000 and $1.5 million as of 2026, reflecting Diamond League prize money, championship bonuses, her Adidas sponsorship deal, and Nigerian government recognition bonuses. Track and field generates lower commercial income than team sports at equivalent achievement levels, but her profile as a world-record holder is expected to increase her sponsorship earnings.
Role model and the next generation of Nigerian sprinters
Tobi Amusan’s world record and consistent podium performances have made her one of the most visible role models for young Nigerian athletes interested in track and field. At a time when Nigerian athletics has been dominated by its football profile internationally, her success in the hurdles has demonstrated that Nigerian athletes can compete at the absolute highest level in technical sprint events that require years of specialised training. Athletics federations and youth development programmes have cited her achievements as evidence that the investment required to develop elite-level hurdles talent in Nigeria is commercially and sporting-historically justified, which creates downstream benefits for the infrastructure and funding available to the athletes who come after her.
Conclusion
Tobi Amusan made history as the first Nigerian to win a world title in athletics. Her breakthrough came with a world record in the 100 metres hurdles. That achievement opened a new chapter for the country on the global track.
Her hurdling combines an explosive start with outstanding technical rhythm. Consistency at the highest level has been as much a hallmark as her top-end speed. Those qualities kept her competitive across championship seasons.
She has become the face of Nigerian track and field. Her success has made her a role model for a new generation of athletes. She remains one of the country’s most celebrated sportswomen.
References
Information in this profile draws on reporting and data from World Athletics (worldathletics.org), Commonwealth Games Federation, African Athletics Championships records, BBC Sport, The Guardian Sport, Diamond League official results, and The Punch Nigeria.
Max Adeyemi is a Lagos-based writer covering Nigerian and African entertainment, sport, business, and culture. He has spent over a decade tracking the careers, controversies, and quiet achievements of the people who move the culture. He writes all profiles on Nolly.
