In a thrilling 100m hurdles showdown, Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent blazed to victory in 12.32 seconds, outpacing a stacked field that included some of the biggest names in the event. Nugent, the NCAA standout and rising star, held her form brilliantly from start to finish to claim one of the biggest wins of her professional career.
Hot on her heels was Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the world record holder, who finished second in 12.38s. Amusan showed great speed out of the blocks and closed fast but couldn’t quite edge out the Jamaican. USA’s Kendra Harrison, another global medalist and former world record holder, settled for third in 12.50s, in what turned out to be one of the most competitive finals of the season.
Another Jamaican, Danielle Williams, the reigning world champion, produced a strong finish and clocked a Season’s Best of 12.51s to place fourth, narrowly missing the podium. Interestingly, Masai Russell of the USA matched Harrison’s time of 12.50s, but was edged into fifth place in a photo finish and was shown a yellow card post-race, possibly for a false start violation or lane infringement.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however, as USA’s Alaysha Johnson and Tonea Marshall both failed to finish (DNF), with each athlete pulling up midway through the race raising concerns about injury.
Nugent’s win signals a serious warning to the rest of the field ahead of the Paris Olympics. With her explosive start and clean hurdling, she’s now firmly in the gold medal conversation. For Amusan and Harrison, it was a solid showing, but Nugent’s sharpness and control stole the spotlight on the day.
Be the first to comment