Kendra Harrison might not be going to the Rio 2016 Olympics, but she has broken Yordanka Donkova’s long standing women’s 100m Hurdles WORLD Record (WR) as she stormed to an astonishing 12.20s to win at the Muller Anniversary Diamond League in London.
Even the American didn’t know what feat she had done, thinking it was a routine win only for it to be announced over the Public Announcement system that the WR had gone. Harrison was congratulating others only for the stadium to erupt in ecstasy and her fellow competitors swooning around her.
Harrison missed out on Olympic qualification after finishing a surprising 6th at the US trials, but she will take solace in the fact that she now has the best time in the world, replacing Donkova on the all time list as the fastest in the women’s 100m Hurdles.
She showed signs of things to come when at the Eugene Diamond League this year she ran a then second fastest time in the world to win in 12.24s, and within sights of Donkova’s record of 12.21s.
There were five Americans in the startlist and it was not surprising that they dominated the race. Brianna Rollins finished 2nd in with a time of 12.57s and Kristi Castlin 3rd in 12.59s.
Harrison stole the show and deservedly so, but it will be a shame not seeing the top athlete in the 100m hurdles in Rio, especially when considered that Donkova’s record was set at the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988.
Meanwhile in the women’s 400m hurdles, another American Dalilah Muhammad dominated her event to win in 53.90s. Muhammad capitalized on the miscalculation of Shamier Little in the 9th barrier and went in front to take the win. Sara Pietersen finished 2nd in 54.33s with South Africa’s Theron Wenda Nel who ran a Season’s Best of 54.47s
Photo Credit: iaaf.org
