Tobi Amusan has warned that the women’s 100m hurdles is entering an even more dangerous era after the Nigerian hurdler battled through a turbulent 2026 season to win silver at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
The former world record holder clocked 12.34 seconds to finish second behind American Olympic champion Masai Russell, who claimed gold in 12.22 seconds.
Netherlands' Nadine Visser completed the podium in 12.39 seconds.
For Amusan, however, the silver medal meant far more than simply finishing second.
It was the reward for a season in which she battled physical setbacks, finished third at the Commonwealth Games, lost her long-standing world record to Russell and later finished fourth at the Diamond League Final.
Yet in Budapest, the Nigerian found a way to respond.
And after the race, she issued a chilling warning about what is coming next.
“Honestly, in that event, I think I would be the sleeping lion,” Amusan said.
“I think the women’s hurdles is just getting scarier every damn year. Next year, I do not know what’s going to happen, but it’s going to be bloody.”
‘We Die Here’ - Tobi Amusan
Amusan's journey to the silver medal was anything but straightforward as admitted that her body had struggled during the season after what initially appeared to be an excellent campaign.
“First, God is good,” Amusan said.
“What started off as an amazing season, in between I had some nippings here and there. You know, I’m not a robot."
"The body did shut down at a point. And I got back, built the momentum one race at a time.”
By the time she arrived in Budapest, Amusan knew she could not afford to dwell on what had already happened.
Her mindset was simple: give everything she had.
“Coming into this championship, my mindset going to the line was, we die here."
"I just kept telling myself I have to give it my all. I mean, I’ve always given my all at every meet,” she said.
“Today is just one of those days where I have to bring my A-plus game. And I don’t care what happened in the race."
"All I knew was, look, I did it. That’s all I knew. And I looked up and I saw the silver medal place finish."
“I was like, look, I came in second place. God is good.”
Russell Keeps Amusan's Crown Out of Reach
Russell entered the final as the overwhelming favourite after breaking Amusan's world record with a stunning 12.09 seconds at the Zurich Diamond League in August.
That performance had ended Amusan's reign as world-record holder, but Russell showed in Budapest that she was not finished making her mark.
The American maintained her unbeaten 2026 season, adding the Ultimate Championship title to the Diamond League Final crown she won in Brussels the previous week.
Amusan, meanwhile, had to settle for silver as her bid to reclaim the top spot fell short. The medal offered a measure of redemption after everything she had experienced.
‘It Was Very Rough’ - Tobi Amusan
Amusan did not hide how difficult the previous months had been.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medal and the loss of her world record had tested her mentally, while her fourth-place finish at the Diamond League Final added another disappointment.
“I’m not going to lie. It was very rough. It was very rough,” she told Making of Champions.
The Nigerian credited her family, mentor, coach and boyfriend for helping her regain her confidence when she needed it most.
“I mean, to my family, to my mentor, to my coach, to my boyfriend."
"They spoke the life back into me. And, you know, this morning it was all about put the past behind you and just go for it.
“And those few sentences that I got here and there got me through this finish line today, and God.”
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