In the night from Sunday to Monday, Tobi Amusan made history on the final day of the World Athletics Championships by running a valid and an invalid world record in the 100-meter hurdles within two hours. The Nigerian took gold in Eugene, while Nadine Visser did not reach the final.
In the semi-finals, 25-year-old Amusan clocked 12.12 and with that she fell well short of the old record time of Kendra Harrison (12.20). The American ran that time in July 2016.
Just under two hours later, Amusan ran even faster in the final at Hayward Field Stadium. She rushed to 12.06 and that was of course good for gold.
Amusan’s time in the final does not count as a world record, because there was too much tailwind in the stadium at that time. Amusan’s personal best before the World Cup was 12.42.
The silver went to Jamaican Britany Anderson (12.23). Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico took bronze. She also clocked 12.23, but Anderson was five thousandths faster.
There are a total of three valid world records this World Cup. Sydney McLaughlin smashed her own world record in the 400 meters hurdles on Friday, which stood at 51.41. She clocked 50.68. And on the final day, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis broke his world record by an inch. He jumped 6.21 meters and took gold.
Fastest times ever in the 100 meter hurdles
- 1. Tobi Amusan (Nigeria) – 12.12 (2022)
- 2. Kendra Harrison (US) – 12.20 (2016)
- 3. Yordanka Donkova (Bulgaria) – 12.21 (1988)
- 4. Yordanka Donkova (Bulgaria) – 12.21 (1988)
- 4. Kendra Harrison (US) – 12.24 (2016)
- 6. Ginka Zagorcheva (Bulgaria) – 12.25 (1987)
Disbelief at Tobi Amusan after the finish of the semifinals.
Disbelief at Tobi Amusan after the finish of the semifinals. Photo: Getty Images
Visser wanted to run faster than ever
Visser finished third in her series in the semifinals with a time of 12.66 and that was not enough to continue. At the previous two World Cups, in 2017 and 2019, and at the Games in Tokyo, the Dutch did make it to the final battle. Her best performance in a global final is fifth place at the Games.
Viewed across the field, Visser’s 12.66 was the twelfth time in the semi-finals. The 27-year-old from North Holland said on Saturday after the series that she wanted to run faster than ever, but that did not work.
Visser’s personal best is 12.51 and dates from September last year. 12.66 is her best time of the season.
Visser’s next major title tournament is the European Championship in Munich next month. A place in the final should not be a problem for her.
Nadine Visser did not make it in the semifinals.
Nadine Visser did not make it in the semifinals. Photo: AP