The names of the five finalists for Women’s World Athlete of the Year were confirmed as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2022 continues.

According to World Athletics, a record 1.3 million votes were registered by emails and online voting via the World Athletics social media platforms.

A three-way voting process to determine the finalists for the 2022 World Athletes of the Year was concluded on October 31 and the winner will be announced on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December.

Amusan has had a fantastic 2022, breaking the 100 metres hurdles world record on her way to winning gold at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in a time of 12.12 seconds.

The 25-year-old backed up that performance by striking gold again at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham before retaining her Diamond League Trophy in Zurich in a new meeting record of 12.29s. The previous record which stood for 22 years was held by an American legend, Gail Devers.

She is also the African champion and record holder after retaining her title in Mauritius in June.

Another notable nominee is Jamaican star, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is the reigning world 100m champion, and Diamond League 100m champion and ran a world-leading 10.62s among her seven sub-10.70s 100m races of the season.

World 200m champion and Diamond League 200m champion, Shericka Jackson, also of Jamaica is also nominated. She ran a world-leading 21.45s to move to second on the world all-time list.

World 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion, Sydney Mclaughlin is also on the shortlist after breaking the world 400m hurdles record with 51.41s at the US Championships. She further improved the world record to 50.68s to win the world title.

Chase Ealey (US), Kimberly Garcia (Peru), Faith Kipyegon (Kenya), Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bahamas), Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) complete the 10-woman shortlist.

A three-way voting process involving the World Athletics Council, the World Athletics Family, and fan online voting will determine the finalists.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50%, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and fan votes will each count for 25%.

Voting closes at midnight on Monday, October 31st followed by the announcement of the five finalists.

The winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December.

The Government also gave her a house and N5 million a few weeks after breaking the world record.

State Governor, Dapo Abiodun presented the award to Amusan and her management team at the Ogun State Government House, Abeokuta.

The Governor, while presenting the award, commended Amusan for her doggedness, resilience, and determination to excel, urging other youths to emulate her and develop their natural talents.

“We are going to be presenting you with one of those homes in Ijebu-Ode. We are rest assured that you will come back home and live in Ijebu Ode,” the governor said.

“We will be giving you a small token. Now you are a big girl, we are only a state government. No matter who you are, you can’t be bigger than your state. It’s not the quantum of what we are giving you but the thoughts that come with it. We are donating to you the sum of N5 million today.”

He reiterated his administration’s resolve to invest in sports facilities to breed more champions that will make the state proud.

The Ogun governor equally took a swipe at his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, saying he did not make sports development a priority while in office.

Abiodun blamed neglect as the major factor cause of the dilapidated structure of the state-owned stadium in Ijebu-Ode.

In her remarks, the world champion called for more investments at all levels towards the discovery of more talents in the country.

She equally pleaded with the governor to revamp the stadium in the Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State.

On why she made the request, Amusan explained that owing to the poor nature of the state-owned facility, she is forced to train in Lagos State.

A statement by the international athletic governing body on Tuesday further revealed that the record times of two other athletes — Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin – have also been ratified.

The athletes had set the records at the World Athletics Championships that took place in Oregon, the United States, in July.

The statement read, “The world records set by Tobi Amusan, Mondo Duplantis, and Sydney McLaughlin at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 have been ratified.

“Amusan’s 12.12 in the women’s 100m hurdles semi finals, Duplantis’s 6.21m in the men’s pole vault final and McLaughlin’s 50.68 in the women’s 400m hurdles final are all now officially in the record books, as is the world U20 mark of 9.94 set by Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 100m heats.”

The 25-year-old Amusan took the world by storm when she ran a time of 12.12secs – shaving almost a tenth of a second off the previous world record held by American Keni Harrison (12.20secs) – in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Oregon, USA, before going on to win gold in the final at the Hayward Field stadium.

The gold winning team comprises Tobi Amusan, Rosemary Chukwuma, Favour Ofili and Grace Nwokocha.

It was learnt that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria had been notified of the development by the World Anti-Doping Agency, as the confirmation of the B sample is still being awaited.

As a rule, the team would be stripped of the medal and the performance, if the athlete is not exonerated.

AFN president Tonobok Okowa confirmed the report

He said the federation had begun an investigation of the matter and would make its position known.

The letter from the World Anti-Doping Agency just reached the federation today (Friday) and  we are shocked to hear this for the first time. We risk being stripped of the 4x100m Commonwealth Games gold we won in Birmingham,” Okowa told Saturday PUNCH.

“But we will carry out our investigation. Although an athlete is responsible for anything that has to do with doping, this is not a good development for us.”

The AFN boss, however, declined to mention the name of the athlete involved, saying the AFN would make a public statement after concluding its investigation.

“No, I can’t disclose the identity of the athlete now because we need to confirm exactly what happened and conclude on our findings before making a public statement.

“The matter is still being investigated and it’s not yet confirmed. What we got is notification letter, so, that everybody concerned will be ready for their defence, “ AFN head coach Seigha Porbeni added.

This is coming days after young high jumper David Aya also failed a drugs test at last month’s World Athletics Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia.

The PUNCH reported that Amusan became the first Nigerian athlete to win a gold medal in the World Athletics Championship when she stormed to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles in Oregon on Sunday within 12.06 seconds.

Amusan had earlier broken the world record in the semi-finals, where she clocked 12.12sec.

Quoting a tweet confirming Tobi’s win at the semis by the World Athletics official page, Bolt lauded the champion.

“Congrats,” he tweeted with emoticons of the Nigerian flag and applauses.

After her performance in the finals, the Jamaican athlete also wrote, “Superb #Tobi.”