Masai Russell breaks 100m hurdles world

Masai Russell broke the women's 100m hurdles world record with a time of 12.09 seconds in Zürich. The performance came just 37 minutes after Alison dos Santos broke the men's 400m hurdles record on the same night.

According to a report from Track and Field News, Russell's time is the first legal run under 12.10 in the event's history. The outgoing world record holder, Tobi Amusan, finished second in the race with a season-best time of 12.23.

The Record Chase

Russell had been publicly predicting the record for over a year. After winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in 12.25, she stated she believed she could "respectfully touch the World Record." Following a win in Chorzów last year, she said, "I’ve been saying all year that I’m gonna break the World Record."

Her 2025 season built momentum toward the record. She broke Keni Harrison's American Record with a 12.17 in Miramar, won the U.S. title, and added a 12.19 victory in Chorzów. Before Zürich, she had broken 12.30 seconds in every outdoor final, a feat of consistency in a volatile event.

"I kind of struggled with some doubt coming from being the Olympic champion and trying to prove to everybody else who I was," Russell said before this season. The 2026 version of Russell, however, looked increasingly certain.

A Perfect Setup

The conditions in Zürich were ideal. Russell found temperatures in the 80s, a fast track, and an energized crowd. "When I heard the crowd, I was like, 'Oh, it’s gonna be a good day,'" she said. "Then I heard Alison broke the record. I was like, 'So what’s it gonna give today?'"

Racing out of lane 5, Russell cleared every barrier cleanly. "When I looked over and I seen 12.09, I was like, 'Oh, shoot. I just did it,'" she recalled. The wind gauge read 0.0 meters per second, making the record fully legal with no assisting breeze.

Russell celebrated by raising one arm, then placing a finger to her lips. Inwardly, she reflected on achieving her goals. "I’m really doing everything that I said that I would," she said. She also remembered critics who had predicted 12.14 seconds would be her career ceiling.

Looking Ahead

With the record secured, Russell is already looking forward. She believes that with a stronger legal wind, a sub-12-second race is possible. "I think if we get a 1.9 wind behind my back, that could have been a sub-12 race," she says.

She refuses to put a limit on her potential. "When we put times on ourselves, we limit ourselves," Russell stated. "Honestly, I don’t know what is possible at this point." For now, the answer is 12.09 seconds, a mark that leads the global standings and rewrites the event's history. Her progression this season is a key part of her athlete stats profile.