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Masai Russell Breaks Women’s 100m Hurdles World Record

8/28/2026

Summary

Russell Breaks Record

Masai Russell set a new women’s 100 m hurdles world record of 12.09 seconds in Zurich.
The performance earned her USD 80,000 and improved her personal best from 12.14 seconds set in May.
Tobi Amusan (Nigeria) and Femke Visser (Netherlands) placed second and third in 12.23 and 12.34 seconds.
Alison dos Santos (Brazil) broke the men’s 400 m hurdles record with 45.80 seconds, beating Karsten Warholm’s 45.94.

Summary

Coe Hails Zurich

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called the Zurich night a spectacular highlight for the sport.
Alison dos Santos said his coach acted like an older brother who helped him break the record.
The Letzigrund Stadium hosted a sold-out 25,000 crowd under balmy conditions, boosting performances.
The Diamond League regular season ends in Zurich, with the final set for Brussels on Sept 4-5.

History

Historical Context

At the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, Ludmila Engquist set a new women’s 100 m hurdles world record of 12.36 seconds. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) granted Engquist a $50,000 bonus, the first monetary reward tied directly to a record. Masai Russell’s 12.09-second hurdle and Alison dos Santos’s 45.80-second 400 m hurdles in Zurich echo surge, aided by Diamond League incentives and Letzigrund Stadium’s 25,000 crowd. Consequently, World Athletics now plans to increase record-breaking bonuses above $100,000, aiming to attract broader talent and sustain global audience growth.

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Russell Breaks Record

Masai Russell set a new women’s 100 m hurdles world record of 12.09 seconds in Zurich.
The performance earned her USD 80,000 and improved her personal best from 12.14 seconds set in May.
Tobi Amusan (Nigeria) and Femke Visser (Netherlands) placed second and third in 12.23 and 12.34 seconds.
Alison dos Santos (Brazil) broke the men’s 400 m hurdles record with 45.80 seconds, beating Karsten Warholm’s 45.94.

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