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Tokyo Athletics Extravaganza: Records Shattered, Medals Claimed!

Published 2 hours ago4 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Tokyo Athletics Extravaganza: Records Shattered, Medals Claimed!

The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, has been a significant event, marked by both inspiring performances and crucial administrative support for participating nations. For Team Nigeria, the National Sports Commission (NSC) ensured the welfare of its athletes, with Director General Hon Bukola Olopade confirming the payment of allowances and bonuses to athletes and officials. During an important meeting in Tokyo, Olopade reiterated the Federal Government's unwavering commitment to athlete well-being, addressing outstanding issues with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to foster a stronger and more cordial relationship in the future. He conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's mandate to prioritize the welfare of every Nigerian representing the nation, emphasizing that the revamped sports administration under the NSC, led by Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko, is dedicated to ensuring optimal care for all athletes. Olopade also called upon the athletes to exhibit patriotism and exemplary conduct, reminding them that their behavior reflects the perception of Nigeria on the world stage.

Amidst this support, Nigerian athletes delivered notable performances. Rising star Kayinsola Ajayi made history by becoming the first Nigerian in 18 years to reach the men's 100m final. Tobi Amusan also brought immense pride, securing a silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles final with a commendable time of 12.24 seconds, finishing strongly against a highly competitive field.

Beyond Nigeria's achievements, the championships witnessed extraordinary feats from global superstars. Swedish pole vault sensation Armand Duplantis continued his unparalleled domination, claiming his third consecutive world title and soaring to a record-breaking 14th world record with his final attempt. In this exceptional feat, Duplantis became the first human to clear the 6.30m barrier, a monumental achievement that earned him a $100,000 world record bonus in addition to the $70,000 awarded to gold medallists. This victory in Tokyo, where he achieved the first of his major successes four years prior, further solidifies his legacy, having already claimed every major gold available and becoming the first man in 68 years to retain the Olympic pole vault title at Paris 2024. The captivated Tokyo audience stayed well past 23:00 local time to witness this historic jump, celebrating with Duplantis who expressed his joy, noting that this fourth world record in 2025 represents the most times he has improved the mark in a single year of his career.

Another dominant figure, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, stormed to a historic fourth world 1500m title, marking her fifth consecutive global gold in the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The 31-year-old matched retired men’s world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj as the only other athlete in history to amass four 1500m titles at the championships. This triumph, her third straight world gold, followed her third consecutive Olympic victory last year. Kipyegon, who has been unbeaten over the distance (excluding heats) for more than four years, controlled the final from the start before bursting clear of her rivals on the final lap, crossing the line in 3 minutes 52.15 seconds. This led to a Kenyan one-two with Dorcus Ewoi securing silver, while Australia’s Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull faded to bronze. Kipyegon's eighth global gold places her alongside sprint star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and distance running legend Tirunesh Dibaba for the most by a female athlete in individual events, with Kipyegon now setting her sights on a second successive world double in the 5,000m.

Tobi Amusan's silver medal performance in the women's 100m hurdles was a significant comeback after three turbulent years of not making the podium at major championships. Blazing to a blistering 12.29s finish, she secured Nigeria's first medal at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, narrowly behind surprise winner Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, who stormed to a new national record and personal best of 12.24s. Grace Stark of the USA settled for bronze in 12.34s, while Olympic champion Masai Russell and defending world champion Danielle Williams finished fourth and fifth, respectively. This achievement marked Amusan as Nigeria's first two-time women's 100mH medallist in world championships history. Her resurgence followed a disappointing outing at the Paris Olympic Games where she failed to qualify for the final. Crediting her success to legendary coach Glen Mills and her former coach Lacena Goulding-Clarke, Amusan revealed the pivotal move to Jamaica in September 2024 to train with Mills at the Racers Track Club. This decision, initially met with mixed reactions from track enthusiasts due to concerns about Mills' experience with hurdlers, proved instrumental in her success, silencing doubters and reaffirming her status among the world's elite hurdlers. Mills, renowned for coaching Usain Bolt throughout his professional career and guiding Oblique Seville to the men's 100m title in Tokyo 2025 – Jamaica's first world champion in the event in 10 years – clearly provided the guidance Amusan needed to return to her best form.

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