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Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan endured a disappointing end to her Diamond League campaign after finishing fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles final in Brussels, Belgium, as American Olympic champion Masai Russell continued her remarkable rise by claiming the Diamond League crown.
Amusan crossed the finish line in 12.54 seconds, missing out on the podium in a race that had been billed as one of the most anticipated showdowns of the Diamond League Final.
Russell, however, once again proved too strong for the field. The American powered to victory in a new meet record of 12.20 seconds, adding another major achievement to a season in which she has already taken the biggest record of Amusan’s career.
Bahamas star Devynne Charlton finished second in 12.33 seconds, setting a new national record, while Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds secured third position in a season-best 12.43 seconds.
For Amusan, fourth place represented a frustrating conclusion to a season in which she had hoped to reclaim the Diamond League trophy and restore herself to the top of the global hurdles hierarchy.
The Brussels race was particularly significant because it marked the latest chapter in an increasingly fascinating rivalry between Amusan and Russell.
Just days before the final, Russell had delivered a stunning performance in Zurich, running 12.09 seconds to break Amusan’s world record of 12.12 seconds.
Amusan had held the world record for four years after producing her historic 12.12-second run in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. That performance announced her arrival as one of the greatest hurdlers in the world and was followed by a sensational victory in the final.
She won the world title in 12.06 seconds, although the time could not count as a world record because of an excessive tailwind.
For four years, the 12.12-second mark stood as the benchmark in women’s 100m hurdles. But Russell’s stunning 12.09 in Zurich finally brought Amusan’s reign to an end and made the American the new world-record holder.
Amusan entered the Brussels final hoping to respond immediately.
The Nigerian had shown signs of strong form before the Diamond League finale, winning the women’s 100m hurdles at the Grand Prix Brescia in Italy on August 31.
Despite battling a stiff headwind of 1.7m/s, Amusan produced a winning time of 12.56 seconds, finishing ahead of American Alaysha Johnson and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent.
That victory offered encouragement ahead of her expected rematch with Russell.
The two athletes had already faced each other in Zurich, where Russell broke the world record and Amusan finished second in a season-best 12.23 seconds.
That result showed that Amusan was still capable of competing with the world’s fastest hurdler, but Brussels produced a different story.
Russell controlled the race and crossed the line comfortably ahead of the chasing pack, while Amusan struggled to find the speed needed to challenge for another major title.
The fourth-place finish means Amusan will not add a fourth Diamond League Final trophy to her collection this year.
The Nigerian remains a three-time Diamond League champion, having won the prestigious title consecutively in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Her dominance during that period established her as one of the most consistent athletes in the history of the competition.
Although she missed the podium in Brussels, Amusan’s 2026 season still contains several notable achievements.
She won gold at the African Championships and also produced strong performances throughout the Diamond League campaign. Earlier in the season, she finished third in Shanghai behind Russell and Charlton, before later collecting victories in Rabat and Paris.
Her consistency was enough to secure her place in the Diamond League Final, where she arrived as one of the leading contenders despite Russell’s outstanding form.
Now, the spotlight belongs to Russell.
The American has gone from chasing Amusan’s world record to owning it and, within days, adding the Diamond League title to her growing list of accomplishments.
For Amusan, however, the story is far from finished.
At 29, the Nigerian remains one of the biggest names in world athletics and still possesses the experience, speed and championship pedigree required to return to the top.
The defeat in Brussels may sting, particularly after losing her world record to Russell, but it could also provide another source of motivation.
For Nigerian athletics fans, the hope will be that Amusan can use the setback as fuel for her next challenge.
The world record may now belong to Russell, and the Diamond League crown may have followed it, but Amusan’s legacy remains firmly established. And if the rivalry between the two hurdlers continues, there could be plenty more dramatic chapters still to come.
