Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan on Monday clinched the silver medal in the women’s 100 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, finishing behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, who shocked the field to claim gold in a national record,
Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, 23, stunned the field to clinch gold in a national record of 12.24s, delivering her country’s first-ever world title in the event.
Amusan, the 2022 champion and world record holder, followed closely in 12.29s, securing Nigeria’s 12th medal in World Championships history.
The bronze medal went to American Grace Stark, who clocked 12.34s, while her compatriot Masai Russell finished fourth in 12.44s after the slowest reaction time in the field (0.240).
Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska equalled her season’s best with 12.49s for fifth, narrowly edging Bahamian Devynne Charlton, who recorded the same time. Jamaica’s Danielle Williams, the 2023 world champion, came in seventh in 12.53s, with Nadine Visser of the Netherlands rounding out the field in eighth at 12.56s.
Earlier in the day, Amusan had looked in commanding form, winning her semifinal in 12.36s ahead of Visser and Skrzyszowska, raising hopes of a successful title defence. But in the final, despite a strong start, she could not withstand Kambundji’s blistering late surge.
The result means the 28-year-old Nigerian adds another silver medal to her glittering career, following her historic gold in Eugene in 2022 when she set the world record of 12.12s.