Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan surrendered her women’s 100m hurdles world record at the Zurich Diamond League on a night when American Masai Russell stormed to a stunning 12.09-second victory.
Russell takes over the hurdles record
Russell’s run replaced the 12.12 mark Amusan established at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene. The American also set new Diamond League and meeting records, improving Amusan’s four-year-old global standard by 0.03 seconds.
Despite losing the record she had owned since July 2022, Amusan delivered one of her best displays of the campaign. Her time of 12.23 seconds was a season’s best and secured second place.
The race was contested without any assisting wind, with the gauge reading 0.0m/s, confirming that Russell’s record was fully legal. The leading finishers were:
- Masai Russell, United States — 12.09 seconds
- Tobi Amusan, Nigeria — 12.23, season’s best
- Nadine Visser, Netherlands — 12.34, season’s best
- Danielle Williams, Jamaica — 12.56
Amusan’s runner-up finish nevertheless strengthened the impression that she is returning to her best level.
Nathaniel claims 400m hurdles bronze
Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel added another strong result to his season by taking third in the men’s 400m hurdles at the same meeting.
He stopped the clock at 47.50 seconds, finishing behind Brazil’s Alison dos Santos and Norway’s Karsten Warholm. Dos Santos dominated the race in 45.80, while Warholm took second with 46.69.
Nathaniel held off Brazil’s Matheus Lima, who placed fourth in 47.57, in a field featuring several of the event’s leading athletes. The remaining results were:
- Abderrahman Samba, Qatar — 47.77
- Matic Ian Gucek, Slovenia — 47.80
- Dany Brand, Switzerland — 48.92
- Chris Robinson, United States — 51.41
Ogazi absent as Nakajima wins 400m
Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi was listed among the expected competitors in the men’s 400m but did not take part in the Zurich race.
Japan’s Yuki Joseph Nakajima took advantage of his absence to win in a season-leading 44.62 seconds. Italy’s Edoardo Scotti was narrowly beaten into second in 44.70, also a season’s best, while Grenada’s former world and Olympic champion Kirani James completed the podium in 44.83.
The rest of the field finished as follows:
- Vernon Norwood, United States — 44.92
- Lionel Spitz, Switzerland — 45.29, season’s best
- Ricky Petrucciani — 45.99
- Manuel Gerber — 46.08, personal best
- Haydn Brotschi — 46.16
Ogazi’s withdrawal removed another potential Nigerian medal opportunity at the meeting. Nigeria still collected two podium finishes, with Nathaniel third in the men’s 400m hurdles and Amusan second in the women’s 100m hurdles.
