Brazil’s Alison dos Santos and American Masai Russell both shattered world hurdles records at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday, producing a stunning night of athletics in Switzerland.
Dos Santos broke the men’s 400 metres hurdles mark, pulling away from the field over the final 100m to clock 45.80 seconds and better Karsten Warholm’s previous world record of 45.94 set at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Warholm finished second in 46.69.
“The crowd and the energy were perfect. I think this night was amazing for me, for those who came to watch — I did it for everybody,” dos Santos said, as reported by BBC Sport.
“I hope that Brazil stopped to watch this as much as the people here in the stadium. This has been an incredible night, I have no words to explain what happened other than I just broke the world record.
“I was looking for my coach since I crossed the finish line. I was the one running, but he is the one who made this possible — someone who believed in me when I was younger.
“He helped me to develop both as an athlete and as a person, too. He’s like an older brother, like a dad to me.”
Olympic champion Russell set a world record of her own in the women’s 100m hurdles, powering over the final barrier to cruise to a clocking of 12.09 and erase the previous mark of 12.12 set by Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan in 2022.
The 26-year-old Dos Santos has long been one of the few men capable of challenging Warholm’s supremacy in the event, winning world gold in 2022 and silver in 2025, while claiming Olympic bronze in both Tokyo and Paris.
On a night when much of the build-up focused on a potential assault on the women’s 800m world record, Dos Santos delivered an early headline performance, surging clear of Warholm off the final bend to extend his perfect record against the Norwegian this season to five victories from five races.
Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred also served notice ahead of next month’s World Athletics Ultimate Championships, winning the women’s 100m in a national record 10.70 seconds.
American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden matched Alfred’s time, with the result decided by photo finish, while Sha’Carri Richardson was third in 10.97.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s 800m in 1:41.76 — the fastest time in the world this season — for his second successive Diamond League victory.
He edged Djamel Sedjati of Algeria, who finished in 1:41.83.
Reuters/ABC
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