Russell’s stunning run, aided by a legal 0.5 wind reading, saw her become the second-fastest woman ever over the distance and set a new American Record, missing the world record by just 0.02 seconds. The world record of 12.12s is currently held by Nigerian track queen Tobi Amusan.
Despite finishing second, Amusan produced a brilliant late surge to clock an impressive 12.28s in a high-quality race that thrilled athletics fans around the world. The Nigerian star once again showed her elite class against one of the strongest fields assembled this season.
The race also produced another historic performance as Devynne Charlton crossed the line in 12.37s to finish third and set a new Bahamian national record.
The women’s 100m hurdles was widely anticipated as one of the headline events at the Xiamen Diamond League, featuring several of the world’s best hurdlers, but Russell stole the spotlight with a near world-record display.
Russell’s performance now places her firmly among the greatest sprint hurdlers in history and sets up an exciting rivalry with Amusan ahead of the major championships later this season.
For Amusan, the race serves as another strong statement that the Nigerian remains one of the most dangerous athletes in the world, especially with the season gathering momentum.