Amusan Remains Top Ranked African Athlete in New World Ranking 

Reigning Commonwealth and World 100m hurdles champion and record holder, Tobiloba Amusan is still the top ranked African athlete following the update on the World rankings released by World Athletics on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old who made history as the first Nigerian to win a world outdoor title and the first to set a world record following her 12.12 seconds run in Oregon in July is still ranked the fifth best in the overall women’s ranking.

The Nigerian (1489 points) is behind the Jamaican duo of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (1534 points) and Shericka Jackson (1526 points), Venezuela’s triple jumper, Yulimar Rojas (1517 points), and American 400m barrier runner, Sydney Mclaughlin (14.90 points.

She is however two places and 22 ranking scores above Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay who won a silver medal in the 1500m and gold in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon with two-time World and Olympic 1500m champion, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon the third highest ranked African woman.

Amusan also retains her position as the top ranked high hurdler in the world ahead of reigning Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Jamaican, Britany Anderson.

Long jumper, Ese Brume also retained her 61st best ranking in the overall women’s category and third best in her event behind reigning World and Olympic champion, Malaika Mihambo of Germany and reigning World Indoor champion, Ivan Vuleta of Serbia.

No other Nigerian, man or woman made it to the overall top 100m ranking albeit a number of them made it to the top 100m ranking in their respective events with as many as four others outside Amusan and Brume finishing in the top 20.

Long and triple jumper, Ruth Usoro is ranked the 19th best in the triple jump and 20th best in the long jump while Discus thrower and Commonwealth Games queen, Chioma Onyekwere is ranked the 17th best.

Nigeria’s record holder in the 200m (indoors and outdoor), Favour Ofili is ranked the 14th best in the half lap race while Shot Putter, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is the only Nigerian man ranked within the top 20 in events’ ranking.

The 29-year-old is ranked the 14th best in his event with the nearest Nigerian man after him, Favour Ashe ranked the 25th best in the 100m.