Zurich Diamond League: Three World Records Fall as Athletes Push Limits

**ZURICH** — At the Zurich Diamond League meet on Thursday, August 27, 2026, three elite athletes fell short of their respective world records, sparking excitement among track and field fans.

Brazilian Alison dos Santos shattered the 400m hurdles record with a 45.80-second run, edging past Karsten Warholm's 45.94-second mark set 43 years earlier. American Masai Russell claimed the 100m hurdles world record in 12.09 seconds, just shy of Tobi Amusan's 12.12-second barrier. Meanwhile, European champion Audrey Werro nearly broke the 800m world record with a 1:53.70 finish, trailing Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1:53.28 record by more than four tenths of a second.

The 25,000-capacity crowd watched as dos Santos dominated the 400m hurdles, while Russell's 12.09 clocked a historic performance. Werro's near-miss highlighted the growing threat to established records in Zurich's high-stakes Diamond League event.

## Lede Three world records were challenged at the Zurich Diamond League, with dos Santos, Russell, and Werro all coming up just short of their marks.

## Supporting Details Dos Santos' 45.80 seconds represents the fastest 400m hurdles run in history, surpassing Warholm's 45.94 from 1989. Russell's 12.09 seconds narrowly missed Tobi Amusan's 12.12-second barrier, while Werro's 1:53.70 left Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1:53.28 by 0.42 seconds — the closest challenge to the 800m record in decades.

## Global Angle These performances underscore the intensifying competition in the Diamond League, where athletes from across the globe vie for world titles amid rising standards and record-breaking ambition.

**Internal Links** - BBC Sport: Werro edges closer to 800m mark - BBC Sport: Second world record in Zurich

**FAQ** **Q:** Which athlete broke the 400m hurdles world record at Zurich? **A:** Brazilian Alison dos Santos set a new world record with 45.80 seconds.

**Q:** How did Masai Russell perform in the 100m hurdles? **A:** He clocked 12.09 seconds, just 0.03 seconds off Tobi Amusan's previous record of 12.12 seconds.

**Q:** Did Audrey Werro break the 800m world record? **A:** No — she finished 1:53.70, 0.42 seconds behind Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1:53.28 record.

**Sources:** BBC