May 22 (Reuters) - Olympic champion Masai Russell feels she is inching closer to breaking the 100m hurdles world record after finally getting over the mental hurdles of fear and self-doubt that plagued her throughout 2025.
Russell clocked a personal best of 12.17 seconds in May last year, 0.05 seconds short of Tobi Amusan's world record, but was unable to maintain consistency as she missed out on the podium at the World Championships, finishing fourth.
But this year, the 25-year-old American is aiming for season-long consistency, after clocking 12.25 seconds in the 100m hurdles at last week's Shanghai Diamond League, which she hopes to improve on in Saturday's Xiamen meet.
"It's weird, I kind of struggled with some doubt... trying to prove to everybody else who I was, rather than just operating in the realm of who I know that I am," Russell told reporters on Friday.
Russell said she was afraid of hitting the hurdles while running, a fear she has since realised was not rational.
"What we will see this year is just me running consistent fast times... and just continuing to build to that world record," she said.
The hurdles races are set to take centre-stage in Xiamen, with 110m world champion Cordell Tinch in action, and the 400m hurdles Tokyo Olympic champion and three-time world champion Karsten Warholm taking on an elite field of competitors to defend his Diamond League title.
The Norwegian took silver at the Paris Games, losing to American Rai Benjamin. On Saturday, Warholm will be in a duel with Brazil's Alison dos Santos, who took bronze in Paris.
"Alison, Rai and the other guys, they keep me on my toes. I know there will never be an easy race," Warholm said.
"This sport is super hard because there's always someone who wants your position. So you've got to keep training or else you will be yesterday's news."
RYAN CROUSER RETURNS TO ACTION
Facing increasingly tougher competition is also what motivates Valarie Sion, discus champion at the last two Olympics, as she aims for a sixth straight Diamond League title.
"I think I still have more to show and more to prove... continue to push that ceiling while I'm in good health and motivated," the 31-year-old said.
Xiamen will also see the return of three-time Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, who has been dealing with a right elbow injury.
The 33-year-old has not appeared in a major official competition since he overcame the injury to win his third World Championship in September.
"It's been up and down, unfortunately not a linear healing progression. Still working around that, trying to get it all the way healthy and gain my confidence back," he said.
"The pieces are there, just have to put it together."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
