EUGENE, Oregon (25) — Tobi Amusan set a world record with a remarkable 12.12 seconds (0.9m/s) in the semi-finals of the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships 2022 here at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Sunday (24), and returned to run even faster in the final.
What record did Tobi Amusan break?
A day after breaking the African record in the heats, Amusan came back on a lively Hayward track to smash Kendra Harrison’s 12.20 seconds world record, set in 2016 in London, before blasting to an astonishing 12.06 seconds (+2.5m/s) wind-aided time in the final to secure the gold medal a little under two hours later.
The Nigerian who finished fourth at the 2019 world championships in Doha and at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, got off to a good start before pulling away from a very strong field with a blistering run in the second half of the contest.
Read more: Tobi Amusan sets stunning 12.12 secs 100m hurdles world record
Jamaica’s Britany Anderson, who set a national record in the semi-finals, came back to win the silver medal –getting the edge over Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico in a photo finish decision after they were both timed at 12.23.
“The goal was to come out and to win this gold. I just did it,” Amusan told reporters. “Honestly, I believe in my abilities but I was not expecting a world record at these championships. You know, the goal is always just to execute well and get the win.
“So the world record is a bonus. I knew I had it in me but I could not believe it when I saw it on the screen after the semis. But it was just a matter of time.
“Before the final, I just tried to stay calm and to do my best. I took a deep breath knowing that I have some goals to accomplish and it worked pretty good. I knew it was very fast but not this fast. Thanks to god. It has been a long journey.”
Britany Anderson happy to win a silver medal
After missing out on a medal at the Olympic Games last summer, Anderson was delighted to be on the podium a year later.
“I feel like everyone is so excited now. I came out here to do what I had to do and I did it,” said the new Jamaica national record holder. “I did expect plenty of national records and PBs coming to the final.
“I trust in me and I trust in God and everything was there to come with the best. I worked for it so I am glad.”
Camacho-Quinn was just having fun
Meanwhile, Camacho-Quinn, the Tokyo Olympic champion bronze medalist said she was happy to win a medal as her plan was to “come out and have fun.”
“Like I said yesterday, this is just my first world championships so I just wanted to come out here and have fun. I got my nerves to be honest,” the Puerto Rican said. “It kind of showed on my face but I am just glad to come out here, I hit the last hurdle but I ended up with a medal and I take it.
“Last year, after Olympics, I said that hurdles is evolving. So I feel like, from this point on, it is only going to be faster. We did pretty good. There were a lot of PRs out there today. I think we had the best event of the whole world champs. Just because of the times we put on and I am very thankful.”
Alia Armstrong of the USA was fourth in a time of 12.31 with Great Britain’s Cindy Sember clocking 12.38 for fifth. Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (12.44) and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas (12.53) were sixth and seventh, respectively.
American Kendra Harrison, the world record holder coming into the World Athletics Championships 2022, was disqualified after failing to complete the race.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for World Athletics
