Kyle Merber Says Tobi Amusan Deserves Apologies Over World Record Doubts

Former American middle-distance runner Kyle Merber thinks those who questioned Tobi Amusan after her women’s 100m hurdles world record in 2022 owe her an apology. This comes as more people believe the record could be broken soon, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Amusan set the world record at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. She clocked 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals, breaking the previous record of 12.20 seconds set by American hurdler Kendra Harrison in 2016. In the final, she ran 12.06 seconds, but that time did not count because of heavy wind.

Many respected figures in athletics, including former American sprinter Michael Johnson, doubted the legitimacy of Amusan's performance. They suggested her time seemed almost impossible. Others raised questions about new spike technology, the track conditions, and even doping claims.

But after American hurdler Masai Russell ran 12.14 seconds at the Xiamen Diamond League last Saturday, the discussion has changed a lot. Many people now support Russell breaking Amusan’s world record based on her recent performances.

In response to this shift, Merber said the criticism Amusan faced in 2022 now seems unfair. "We should collectively apologise to Tobi Amusan because in 2022, when she ran fast, everyone who was not from Nigeria had an opinion," Merber told CITIUS MAG Podcast.

"Now that these times have become more common over the last few years since the World Championships in Eugene, suddenly that world record seems very legitimate.

"I don’t think I said anything, so don’t come at me. But people accused her of drugs and everyone had theories because when she ran 12.12 seconds, she destroyed a world record of 12.20 seconds by Kendra Harrison that nobody had really gone close to.

"Now, that 12.12 seconds looks attainable and it seems Masai Russell is coming for it."

A year after setting the world record, Amusan was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for missed whereabouts filings ahead of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. However, she was cleared to compete just days before the championships.

The Nigerian could not defend her world title in Budapest, and her fastest time since then is the 12.24 seconds she ran at the Meeting de Paris in June 2025. This season, Amusan has already achieved a season’s best of 12.28 seconds and also claimed her third African title, showing she remains one of the top hurdlers in the world.