Paris-medal hopeful Tobi Amusan lost in a stacked pre-Olympic race to US College Champion Grace Stark at the Mike Holloway Pro Classic in Florida.
Nigeria's Paris 2024 Olympics medal hopeful Tobi Amusan, tasted a surprising defeat at the Mike Holloway Pro Classic in Florida, as reigning US College champion Grace Stark swept away to victory in convincing style.
The World Record (WR) holder in the women's 100mH succumbed to second-place position in 12.60s (-1.7m/s) behind Stark's impressive winning time of 12.58s, thus making a bold claim of her preparedness for Paris.
As the NCAA Champion, Stark has been in brilliant form this season, with the highlight of her year coming at the US Olympic trials, where she blazed to a blistering Personal Best (PB) of 12.31s to finish second behind Masai Russel's exceptional world-leading time of 12.25s.
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With a follow-up performance of defeating the former world champion in convincing style, she'll be brimming with confidence ahead of her Olympic debut. In addition, her consistency shows she's a medal contender for the big occasion in Paris.
![Ackera Nugent and Masai Russell now favourites to challenge Tobi Amusan in Paris after posting world-leading times](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/01072024/95660093-d1f0-4206-a943-bb88c7a3718f.png?operations=fit(180:))
16:09 - 01.07.2024
Ackera Nugent and Masai Russell now favourites to challenge Tobi Amusan in Paris after posting world-leading times
The US and Jamaican Olympic Trials produced two world-leading performances as Ackera Nugent and Masai Russell blazed to record-breaking times and now stand as top favourites ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
However, despite the loss for Amusan, the hurdling queen cannot be written off yet to still make a statement at the Games, as she clocked an impressive 12.49s to win her heat race - second-fastest time this season behind her 12.40s in Jamaica.
This proves the 27-year-old is still in form and with about two weeks before the start of the women's 100mH in Paris, there's time to fine-tune her preparations for a perfect peak to challenge for a medal, which she has always done in previous major championships.
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Amusan will be heading to Paris in a bid to become Nigeria's first athlete in history to win a world outdoor and Olympic title, or at the least medal, matching the feat of Glory Alozie at Sydney 2000, who claimed a silver medal.
Meanwhile, US champion and world leader Russell also tipped as a big medal contender in Paris, finished third in the race in 12.66s and lost for the second time on the night to Amusan.
![Ackera Nugent: Meet the rising hurdle star who is ready to challenge Tobi Amusan for gold at the Olympics](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/02072024/02e17415-6efc-419a-9a8e-7f241d014be9.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
17:11 - 02.07.2024
Ackera Nugent: Meet the rising hurdle star who is ready to challenge Tobi Amusan for gold at the Olympics
Ackera Nugent is a rising name in world athletics, as she is one of the strongest contenders to win the women's 100m hurdles. Here is all you need to know about the woman who shattered Jamaica’s national record.
Notwithstanding, the trio will be heading to the games gunning for their first Olympic medal.