The Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa has congratulated Tobi Amusan for winning the 100-metres hurdles` Gold at the World Athletics Championship.
The congratulatory message is contained in a statement signed by the Head of Media and Public Relations of the Commission, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amusan won gold on Monday by going faster than the 12.12s world record time she ran in the semi-finals.
She recorded 12.06s in the final, but was not recognised as a world record owing to the over 2m/s wind speed.
Amusan had blitzed to a world record of 12.12s in the semi-finals and obliterated that mark with a superb 12.06s to become the first Nigerian to win gold in the history of the World Athletics Championships.
Nigeria had won a total of nine medals, comprising four silver and five bronze before Amusan destroyed a strong field in the final of the championship held in Oregon, United States.
The NiDCOM boss said that Amusan’s triumph at the world athletics championships has brought honour to herself and Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa added that the athlete’s true Nigerian spirit of resilience, determination, hard work and doggedness made her come out victorious.
“By setting a world record of being the first ever Nigerian to win Gold at the championship against a field that included seven of the top 10 women in the world, Nigeria is definitely proud of Amusan.
“Especially, when her victory coincides with National Diaspora Day where Nigeria celebrate all her Diasporas,” she added.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that among those beat in the course of the championship was a former world record holder Kendra Harrison, in the first semi-final heat.
Nigeria marked the National Diaspora Day organised annually by NiDCOM on July 25, to highlight issues concerning Nigerians in the diaspora and their contributions to nation building.
The theme for the 2022 event was “Diaspora Engagement in a Globally Challenging Time’’. (NAN)
