Athletics World Championships: Amusan, gold in the 100 hurdles, the world record and … Michael Johnson’s doubts

From our correspondent Andrea Buongiovanni

& commat; abuongi

July 25
– EUGENE (USA)

“Subject to the usual homologation procedure” reads the legend relating to the asterisk placed by the international federation next to the initials “WR”, “World Record”, “World Record”. It stands beside the 12 ”12 achieved by the 25-year-old Nigerian Toby Amusan in the first semifinal of the 100 hurdles. Adjust at least in the wind detection, because the anemometer indicated +0.9 meters per second. Had it not been for that, in the final won less than a couple of hours later, he would have done even better: 12 ”06 with +2.5. Unheard of. For the rest…

The race

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In the first case a reaction of 0 ”144 to the shot, a possessed dance between the barriers. The progress on the previous limit, signed in 2016 by the American Kendra Harrison (who ends up behind in a 12 “27 in turn great) is 8/100, the widest in the last 42 years. The girl, who is based in the United States, a student at the University of Texas-El Paso, is not just anybody. She won the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. No one, however, could have imagined it would go that far. And certainly some doubts also because Toby, just the day before, on the heats, had filed his African record with no better (if it makes sense to say it) than 12 “40. Improving by 1/100. Now this increase, which cannot fail to surprise. Especially in light of the overall results of the semifinals.

Doubts

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“I don’t think those results are correct – Michael Johnson immediately commented -: twelve personal records, five national records, the surprise on the faces of all the girls. In the second heat the winner’s time, 12” 53, soon became 12 “43 . There is something wrong”. Jamaican Danielle Williams raced in 12 ”41, British Cindy Sember in 12” 50, a national record. It is clear that the reference is to the timing system. Without detracting from Amusan, the first Nigerian world record holder, never like this time that asterisk appears justified. Even if then the final (reaction of 0 “130), with the silver to Anderson and the bronze to the Puerto Rican Camacho-Quinn with the same 12” 23 (uniforms of 5/1000), confirmed the exceptional nature of the day. .