Tobi Amusan Named 2022 Africa’s Best Female Athlete

The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has named Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan as Africa’s Best Female Athlete of the year 2022.

Tobi Amusan beat Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey to win the 2022 Best Female Athlete award. Kipyegon and Gidey finished second and third respectively behind the Nigerian star. They received the award on Tuesday, December 20.

Note that Kenya’s Kipyegon is the reigning 1500m world champion and Ethiopia’s Gidey is the reigning 1000m world champion.

As for Amusan, her rosy journey in 2022 started in June when she won the African Championships in Mauritius and successfully defended her title.

She then left for Paris where she ran a 12.41-second time at the Diamond League competition, and broke her African record of 12.42 seconds.

Amusan ran an outstanding 12.58 seconds to win another national title for herself at the All Nigerian Championships in Benin City, Edo State, and simply broke the previous record of 12.63 seconds set in 1997 by Angela Atede.

When Amusan pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, it was her biggest moment.

The Nigerian superstar ran a 100-meter hurdles semifinal world record time of 12.12 seconds before winning the gold medal with a wind-aided time of 12.06 seconds.

She also captured the Diamond League championship for the second time in a row, demonstrating her status as one of the best in the world and the current indisputable top player in Africa.

Even though Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of America won the international award for World female athlete of the year during the reviewed period, Amusan will be proud of her extraordinary achievements in that period.

While Amusan is the best female athlete on the continent, the best African male athlete of the year is Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco.