ZURICH -- A couple of world records were broken less than 40 minutes apart at the Diamond League on Thursday, with Masai Russell of the United States breaking the women's 100-meter hurdles record and Alison dos Santos of Brazil smashing the men's 400-meter hurdles mark.
Russell, the reigning Olympic champion, set a time of 12.09 seconds, taking 0.03 off the previous world record held by Tobi Amusan.
Amusan finished second in Thursday's final in a season-best 12.23 for the Nigerian star, and European champion Nadine Visser finished third in 12.34.
"When I saw 12.09 ... I just got so emotional," Russell said. "I dreamed about this moment for so long, and then hearing the crowd, like, this is the best place I could have ever imagined to break the world record."
Dos Santos crossed the line in 45.80 seconds at the Weltklasse, shaving 0.14 seconds off the world record set by Karsten Warholm of Norway at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Warholm finished second Thursday in 46.69. Nigeria's Ezekiel Nathaniel finished third in a time of 47.50 seconds
"I have no words to explain what happened other than I just broke the world record," the 2022 world champion said. "I have been showing a great form throughout the season - that I am fast, I am strong. We changed a lot of aspects of my training and racing in the preparation for this. I'm starting faster, I'm finishing stronger, and that is what I have to do to be able to break a world record."
After the race, Warholm came over and gave him a congratulatory hug. He took losing his world record in stride.
"I have got to get back to the drawing board and do something else," Warholm said after finishing in 46.69. "I still feel I can do something about it. I have been running 45.94 before. It is unbelievable. There is nothing more to say. It is a crazy event."
The 26-year-old Dos Santos was the 2022 world champion and is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist having placed third at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Paris Games in 2024.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
