By Ben Efe 27.5.2026
When Nigerian 100m hurdler Tobi Amusan stormed to 12.12 seconds run at the 2021 World Championships held 2022 in Eugene, USA, most of the athletics family refused to believe she had significantly battered the world record of 12.20 seconds previously held by Kendra Harrison.
Track and field personalities including former world record holder in the 400m and 200m, Michael Johnson questioned the credentials of the Nigerian star who was performing at the peak of her career. He requested that she be thoroughly dope tested.
But as American hurdler and 2024 Olympics champion Masai Russell came within a touching distance of breaking the 20.12 seconds world record last weekend with a blistering run of 12.14seconds at the Xiamen Diamond League, former American runner Kyle Merber has called on the skeptics who doubt Amusan to apologise.
Speaking during a chat on CITIUS MAG podcast Merber said: “We should collectively apologise to Tobi Amusan because in 2022, when she ran fast, everyone who was not from Nigeria had an opinion.
“Now that these times have become more common over the last few years since the World Championships in Eugene, suddenly that world record seems very legitimate.
“I don’t think I said anything, so don’t come at me. But people accused her of drugs, and everyone had theories because when she ran 12.12s, she destroyed a world record of 12.20s by Kendra Harrison that nobody had really gone close to.
“Now, that 12.12s looks attainable and it seems Masai Russell is coming for it.”
Masai Russell and Tobi Amusan...breaking records.