By Daily Sports Nigeria on September 26, 2025

Tobi Amusan has climbed to third place in the latest World Athletics 100m hurdles rankings, making her Nigeria’s highest-ranked athlete following her silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 28-year-old, who is the world record holder, rose from ninth place to third after scoring 1,430 points, moving in behind United States’ Grace Stark, who tops the rankings, and newly crowned world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, who sits second.

Amusan also made a major leap in the overall women’s rankings, rising 40 places from 68th to 28th. She is currently the only Nigerian woman inside the global top 100 after Favour Ofili, who previously featured, dropped out following her switch of allegiance to Turkey and absence from the championships.

Ezekiel Nathaniel was the other standout Nigerian mover in the latest update. The 22-year-old 400m hurdler, who broke the Nigerian record five times during the 2025 season, climbed from 59th to 15th in the overall rankings.

Within his event, he is unmoved from his fifth position in the world, behind new world champion Rai Benjamin of the United States, world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway, Brazil’s former world champion Alison dos Santos, and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba. The only change in that top five saw Benjamin move above Warholm after the Norwegian missed out on the medals in Tokyo.

Shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi also edged into the global top 100, now ranked 99th overall after finishing fifth at the World Championships, where he gained 250 points to bring his total to 1,373.

In the men’s shot put rankings, he sits seventh following a season that saw him become the first African athlete to throw beyond 22m, with his 22.10m effort at the Prefontaine Classic in May. He threw 21.52m in the Tokyo final.

Among the sprinters, Kanyinsola Ajayi surged in the rankings after his sixth-place finish in the men’s 100m final. The Auburn University athlete moved from 29th to 13th in the 100m event rankings and jumped an extraordinary 246 places overall, climbing from 417th to 171st.

His compatriot and fellow Auburn sprinter, Isreal Okon, who won his opening heat in Tokyo before exiting in the semi-final, rose to 38th in the 100m and 550th in the world. Udodi Onwuzurike, another young prospect, also improved his standing by moving up to 25th in the 200m from 30th, while holding 72nd place in the 100m and 463rd overall.

Other Nigerian competitors also saw modest improvements. In the men’s 400m, Chidi Okezie is ranked 32nd and 527th overall after his early exit, while Samuel Ogazi sits 38th and 614th globally. Long jumper Charles Godfred is 38th in his discipline and 825th overall.

In the women’s events, Ese Brume, once ranked as high as second in the long jump, is now 28th in her discipline and 800th overall following her early exit in Tokyo. Prestina Ochonogor, her young compatriot and African U-20 record holder, sits 42nd in the event and 1,326th overall. Discus throwers Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons and Obiageri Amaechi rank 25th and 30th respectively, while sitting 1,303rd and 1,597th in the world overall. Hammer thrower Sade Olatoye is 32nd in her discipline and 1,660th overall. Sprinter Rosemary Chukwuma, who exited in the women’s 100m heats, is ranked 57th in her event and 750th globally.

At the very top of the global rankings, Sweden’s Armand Duplantis continues to lead with 1,638 points after extending his dominance in the pole vault. He holds a 119-point lead over Benjamin in second place and 123 points over American 200m world champion Noah Lyles in third.

On the women’s side, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet retained her overall lead after claiming a double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Tokyo. United States sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden capped a remarkable season by moving into second following her 100m and 200m titles, overtaking Faith Kipyegon, who dropped to third after losing the 5,000m crown to Chebet but retaining the 1,500m title.

Source Punch Ng

Posted September 26, 2025

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