TOKYO, Japan — Danielle Williams came up short in her effort to win a third World Athletics Championships 100m hurdles title after she placed seventh in the final in Tokyo, Japan on Monday, running 12.53 seconds (-0.1m/s).

Williams, who won the gold medals in 2015 in Beijing, China and 2023 in Budapest, Hungary, had impressed through the rounds with 12.40 seconds in the first round and 12.44 seconds in the semi-finals but hit the second hurdle in the final and was unable to challenge for a medal.

Earlier in the semi-finals, Ackera Nugent, the Jamaican national record holder who has a season’s best 12.30 seconds, was third in her heat in 12.63 seconds (-0.5m/s) and just missed out on advancing. Amoi Brown also missed out after she was sixth in her race with 12.93 seconds (-0.2m/s).

In the final, Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji ran a national record 12.24 seconds, joint seventh best all time and equal to Ackera Nugent’s Jamaican record, creating a massive upset to win the gold medal, beating world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria— 12.29 seconds, with American Grace Stark third with 12.34 seconds.

Olympic Games gold medallist and world leader Masai Russell was fourth with 12.44 seconds.

— Paul A Reid