It was a long time coming, but in the end, Masai Russell’s first ever Diamond League win proved to be worth the wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a day which saw three Diamond League records, four world leads, Olympic revenge for Kishane Thompson and a breathtaking return from injury from Keely Hodgkinson, it was always going to take a special performance to grab the headlines at Saturday’s meeting in Silesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is exactly what Russell delivered at the Kamila Skolimowska, finally breaking her Diamond League duck with one of the fastest times ever recorded in the women’s sprint hurdles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to this weekend, Russell’s Diamond League record had always remained something of a mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olympic champion in 2024 and second-fastest woman in history, the American star had not won any of her nine appearances on track and field’s premier one-day circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So after two fourth-place finishes in Eugene and Monaco earlier this season, the 25-year-old came to Silesia with a point to prove. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her Diamond League woes appeared to continue in the heats, as she clocked 12.36 behind Nadine Visser, who set a new meeting record with 12.28. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet there was no stopping Russell in the main race, as she motored away from Visser and held off a late challenge from Tonea Marshall and Tobi Amusan to cross the line first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n