World record holder and Adidas track athlete, Tobi Amusan has become the winner of Silverbird TV 2022 Sports Personality of the Year.
The world champion was honored at the Silverbird Man of The Year 2022 held on Friday 3rd, 2023 at the Eko Hotel and suits, Lagos.
Lanre Vigo, founder of Plug Sports, the sports division of The Plug Entertainment, who received the award on his behalf, shared the news through his Instagram handle.
“Congratulations to @ihurdle_33.0inches on being awarded @silverbirdtv sports personality of the year,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I am proud to accept this award for you and say a few words. Honestly @ihurdle_33.0inches, I wish you were here to receive all these awards in person and feel the love Nigerians have for you,” he added.
Vigo, in his speech received at the event noted that the main determination is to encourage the private sector and the government to invest more in athletes because there are many Tobi Amusan outside who are waiting to be discovered.
“There are many talented sports people in Nigeria, and I feel that if the government and the private sector invest more in these people, we will have more superstars in Nigeria.
“So I encourage everyone to support Tobi Amusan in this endeavor or maybe find the next Tobi Amusan,” Vigo said.
Amusan became his first World champion and World Record holder at the World Championships in Oregon, where he won the 100m Hurdles title in a WR time of 12.12s in the semi-finals and a wind-aided 12.06s in the final.
He also successfully defended his Commonwealth Games and Diamond League titles, with record-breaking times of 12.30s and 12.29s.
His time of 12.30 was also a new record at the Games.
With this feat, the 25-year-old Amusan became the first World Champion to win Gold in the event and the first Nigerian athlete to win at all levels of athletics in the same year.
She defeated Jamaican duo Danielle Williams, Megan Tapper, England’s Cindy Sembre, Australia’s Michelle Jenneke, and Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton.