EUGENE, Ore., (Reuters) – Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan broke the women’s 100 metres hurdles world record in a stunning semi-final effort at the World Championships yesterday.
The record time of 12.12 seconds broke Kendra Harrison’s mark of 12.20, as the American finished second in the heat.
While most athletes aim to conserve their energy in the semi-final, the 25-year-old Amusan held nothing back at Hayward field, a day after she set the African record in the opening heats.
“It is a strong feeling. I wanted to get out and go,” she told reporters. “I did what I had to do. Looking forward to the finals.”
She shocked the crowd at Eugene, Oregon, putting on the kind of superb performance usually reserved for prime time in the opening race of yesterday’s evening schedule.
Jamaican Britany Anderson won her semi-final in a national record 12.31 seconds, with Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn also advancing (12.32).
American Alia Armstrong and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas also advanced to the final later yesterday.
“That was a crazy race,” said Britain’s Cindy Sember, who advanced on time. “I have been in shape and I knew it was coming when it matters the most.”
