Nigeria's Tobi Amusan claimed silver in the women's 100m hurdles at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday, clocking 12.34 seconds behind American Olympic champion Masai Russell's winning time of 12.22 seconds.
Netherlands' Nadine Visser completed the podium in 12.39 seconds. Amusan, the former world record holder in the event, was unable to reclaim the top spot from Russell, who broke her 12.12-second world record with a 12.09-second run at the Zurich Diamond League in August and arrived in Budapest unbeaten for the season.
The runner-up finish earned Amusan $75,000, the second-highest prize on offer in an event carrying a record $10 million purse, with the individual winner receiving $150,000.
The silver medal marks a return to the podium for Amusan after a difficult stretch that included a third-place finish at the Commonwealth Games and a fourth-place result at the Diamond League Final following the loss of her world record.
Speaking after the race, she said she had focused on taking each competition one at a time and credited her family, mentor and coach for helping her regain confidence heading into Budapest.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship, running from September 11 to 13, is a new biennial event bringing together Olympic and world champions, Diamond League winners and other leading athletes across 28 events, with a race schedule designed for a faster-paced television format. Amusan's silver gives Team Nigeria its first medal of the inaugural championship.
