Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji won the women’s 100m hurdles gold in sensational style at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Prior to Monday night, Ditaji – 10 years younger than her sister Mujinga Kambundji – was not even the biggest athletics name in her family, let alone the field for the final of the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
The 23-year-old exploded from the blocks in lane 3 and maintained flawless form throughout, slashing 0.14 off her national record to win in a national record of 12.26.
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It added the world title to the European indoor crown she won in Apeldoorn in March in a European record of 7.67, crowning a superb year for the Swiss athlete.
It puts her joint tenth in the world all-time list. She is the first Swiss athlete ever to win the event.
In a high-quality event, world record holder and 2022 champion Tobu Amusan of Nigeria won silver in 12.29, USA’s Grace Stark won bronze in 12.34, with Olympic champion Masai Russell in fourth in 12.44.
Poland’s 2022 European champion Pia Skrzyszowska was fifth in a season’s best of 12.49, whilst Nadine Visser’s search for a first major medal in the sprint hurdles outdoors continues.
The Dutch athlete was eighth in 12.56.
Ditaji, whose sister Mujinga is a double world champion indoors and a global medallist outdoors, had struggled to translate her own indoor form in 2025 to the outdoors.
While the 23-year-old had not been tipped as one of the favourites, the final still appeared to be wide open.
There was the Olympic champion Masai Russell, who had fallen at the last World Championships but was the fastest woman in the world this year with a 12.17 to put her second on the world all-time list.
And there was the one woman faster than her, the Nigerian Tobi Amusan as well as Russell’s US teammate Grace Stark, who has been arguably the most consistent sprint hurdler this season with three Diamond League victories prior to Tokyo.
But Kambundji had a great start and was never bettered as she took the line ahead of Amusan in second with Stark rounding off the podium. Following the win, she had a look of utter disbelief at the result amid emotional celebrations.
Meanwhile, Russell, was thrown off her rhythm by hitting a number of hurdles and missed out on the medals in fourth place.
‘I knew I had it in me’
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“It’s crazy. I was giving my all,” said the thrilled Swiss athkete afterwards. “I tried to focus on myself. I was calm and pretty collected. I knew I had it in me. You could see on my face how happy I was when I realised I won. I was surprised. I thought that I was able to do it, but I was surprised because I knew all my competitors were able to win.
“This is something I have been working for and to run it the way I wanted to is special. Getting a personal best is nice but all that mattered today was the title. This result gives me a lot of motivation to work harder but right now I am just enjoying the title. It”s amazing to be a world champion.
“My family is here in the stands – my mum, dad and my aunt, and it feels amazing to be able to share this moment with them.”
It was on the same track that her older sister, who is due to give birth to her first child at the end of November, had competed in a trio of Olympic finals.
And her younger sibling said: “We definitely have a good relationship with this track. I am sure my sister is excited for me. It’s exciting to have her support. I was thinking about her a lot during these days. Our bond is really special. I know she will be thrilled. I am bringing home something really incredible.”
“Memories from Tokyo will always be amazing for my family. In 2021 (at the Olympics) my sister Munjinga was in three finals. I am sure my sister is excited for me.
“It’s exciting to have her support. I was thinking about her a lot during these days. Our bond is really special. I know she will be thrilled. I am bringing home something really incredible.”
