TOBI AMUSAN OF NIGERIA HAS BEEN CROWNED AFRICA’S BEST FEMALE ATHLETE FOR 2022.

Tobiloba Amusan of Nigeria has been awarded Africa’s Best Female Athlete for 2022.

The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) bestowed the newest honor on Amusan on Tuesday.

Amusan has been well ahead of her peers this year, winning the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she set a record, and the World Championships in Oregon, where she set a new World Record of 12.12 seconds in the Hurdles event.

She also won the Diamond League championship for the second season in a row, confirming her status as one of the finest in the world and Africa’s indisputable number one at the time.

Faith Kipyegon of Kenya and Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia, both world champions in the 1500m and 1000m, were ranked second and third, respectively, behind Amusan, who has had an incredible year.

Despite failing to win the World Female Athlete of the Year award, which was won by America’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Amusan will be proud of her remarkable achievements during the period under review.

In early June, Amusan successfully defended her African Championships title in Mauritius.

She then flew to Paris to better her African mark of 12.42 seconds, which she set at the Diamond League competition in Paris.

At the All Nigerian Championships in Benin City, Edo State, Amusan easily broke Angela Atede’s 1997 record of 12.63 seconds, winning another national gold with a time of 12.58 seconds.

Amusan’s crowning achievement came in Eugene, Oregon, where she created one of the biggest surprises of the World Championships.

The Nigerian superstar set a world record of 12.12 seconds in the semifinals of the 100m hurdles before winning gold in a wind-assisted 12.06 seconds.

 

Male of the Year

While Amusan was named Africa’s finest female athlete, Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali was named the continent’s best male athlete.
Bakkali, a world champion and Diamond League Final victor, remained unbeaten in all of his 2022 races.

Eluid Kipchoge and Emmanuel Korir of Kenya finished second and third, respectively, behind the Moroccan.

Meanwhile, Letsile Tebogo and Faith Cherotich, both sprinters, have been named Africa’s greatest male and female prospects.