San Francisco Frontiers - Williams edges Olympic champion to win second world hurdles title

The 30-year-old, who previously won in Beijing in 2015, timed 12.43 seconds to edge out Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico (12.44sec) with Kendra Harrison of the United States taking bronze (12.46).

Williams, running in the outsider's lane two, rose at the final hurdle alongside Camacho-Quinn and Harrison.

However, Williams found just that bit more to cross ahead of her two more fancied rivals.

For Camacho-Quinn it was an improvement of one place from last year.

"I'm not upset at all," said the 27-year-old. "I can be grateful with that silver. After I won a bronze at the last world championships now I have a silver.

"If I add my Olympic gold medal I have the whole collection to be proud of."

Camacho-Quinn, only Puerto Rico's second ever Olympic champion, said to come second in one of the strongest fields of all time was a privilege.

"This final was packed with talents and I was defeated by just a tenth of a second so I don't have any bitter feelings," she said.

For Harrison it was once again a final disappointment.

The 30-year-old former world record holder had set a world leading time in her heat of 12.24sec but failed to carry that form into the final.

Harrison added a bronze to her two silvers (Olympic and world).

Defending champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria and 2019 winner Nia Ali were never in the hunt, finishing sixth and last respectively.

"I do not know what happened," said 34-year-old Ali, whose three children and boyfriend, Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse were watching from the stands.

"I just came out of the blocks and hit the first hurdle."

H.Reyes--SFF