World record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, may still be easing into the 2025 season, but her long-standing 12.12s record from the 2022 World Championships is already under serious pressure.
Competing in her second hurdles event of the year in Keqiao, China on Saturday, Amusan placed fourth with a season’s best of 12.66s. The race was won by American Grace Stark in 12.42s, with reigning World Champion Danielle Williams clocking 12.55s and South Africa’s Fourie Marione finishing third in 12.62s.
Stark and Williams had reversed their positions from the Diamond League opener in Xiamen the week before, where Amusan opened her season with a 12.75s run.
Meanwhile, over in Florida, Olympic champion Masai Russell set a new American record and the second-fastest time in history at the Grand Slam Track event in Miramar, blazing to 12.17s — just five milliseconds shy of Amusan’s world record. Russell held off a fierce challenge from Tia Jones, who also set a personal best of 12.19s, while Ackera Nugent took third in 12.34s.
It marked the first time two women had broken the 12.20s barrier in the same race — a clear signal that the world record is within reach for more than one contender.
Amusan currently ranks fourth in the Diamond League standings with five points. Her next stop is Doha, Qatar, on May 16 for the next leg of the Diamond League. Before that, she’ll represent Nigeria in the women’s 4x100m relay at the World Relays in Guangzhou, China.
The momentum is building — and the race for the fastest woman over hurdles is heating up.
