Amusan Secures 3rd Place In Diamond League Opener

The 2026 Diamond League season kicked off under the lights of Shanghai’s stadium on Saturday night, delivering a fiercely competitive women’s 100m hurdles that saw Nigeria’s world record holder, Tobi Amusan, clinch third place.

Amusan, 29, arrived in China riding a wave of momentum after capturing gold just days earlier at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana.

Despite the quick turnaround and the challenges of travel, the Nigerian star looked sharp and determined on the starting line. She stopped the clock at 12.41 seconds her fastest time this year—finishing behind two of her most formidable rivals: American Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian world indoor champion Devynne Charlton.

From the gun, Russell was untouchable. The Olympic gold medalist unleashed a flawless race, storming to victory in a stunning meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25 seconds.

That performance bettered her own previous world lead of 12.40s, sending an early warning to the rest of the hurdles elite.

Charlton, who has dominated the indoor circuit, delivered one of her strongest outdoor performances to date. The Bahamian flew across the finish line in 12.38 seconds, claiming second place and further cementing her status as a major contender for the season ahead.

Amusan, whose world record of 12.12 seconds remains the fastest mark in history, showed clear signs of rounding into form.

Her 12.41s was a significant improvement over her previous season’s best of 12.84s, which she had set during her victorious outing in Accra just three days earlier.

Though she couldn’t match the blistering pace of Russell and Charlton, her trademark smooth technique and explosive acceleration were on full display, hinting at stronger performances to come.

The race featured a stacked field that underscored the depth of global talent in the women’s hurdles.

Reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, who claimed the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss national record of 12.24 seconds, had to settle for fifth place in 12.82 seconds.

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, one of the rising stars of the event, finished sixth in 12.98 seconds.

As the Diamond League campaign moves forward, Amusan’s third-place finish in Shanghai serves as a solid building block proof that the world record holder is on the right track, even in a season-opening field packed with Olympic, world, and indoor champions.