{"id":259882,"date":"2026-08-27T21:05:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T21:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/usas-russell-and-brazils-dos-santos-smash-world-records-on-crazy-night-in-zurich\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T21:05:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T21:05:05","slug":"usas-russell-and-brazils-dos-santos-smash-world-records-on-crazy-night-in-zurich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/usas-russell-and-brazils-dos-santos-smash-world-records-on-crazy-night-in-zurich\/","title":{"rendered":"USA\u2019s Russell and Brazil\u2019s Dos Santos smash world records on \u2018crazy\u2019 night in Zurich"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Masai Russell and Alison Dos Santos each set a world record while Mondo Duplantis won a historic pole vault on a frenetic Thursday night in Zurich.<\/p>\n

The Letzigrund Stadium had a raucous sell-out 25,000 crowd and the still, balmy weather conditions helped the athletes no end.<\/p>\n

Brazil\u2019s Dos Santos was the first to make a mark, clocking a sensational 45.80 seconds in the 400m hurdles to beat the previous mark of 45.94sec<\/a> set by Norway\u2019s Karsten Warholm in the final of the Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been showing great form throughout the season \u2013 that I am fast, I am strong,\u201d said Dos Santos, with Warholm finishing second and dubbing their discipline a \u201ccrazy event\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as I knew I was coming here, I was excited. The weather\u2019s good, the track\u2019s amazing,\u201d the Brazilian added.<\/p>\n

Then came US star Russell, the Olympic champion, timing 12.09sec in the 100m hurdles to beat the previous best of 12.12sec<\/a> set by Nigeria\u2019s Tobi Amusan at the Eugene world championships in 2022.<\/p>\n

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Dos Santos and Russell will leave Zurich with a cheque each for $80,000 for having broken their respective records.<\/p>\n

The world records were punctuated by a scintillating competition in the pole vault, eventually won by double Olympic and triple world champion Duplantis. The US-born Swede came under real pressure from Greek rival Emmanouil Karalis, who vaulted a personal best of 6.20m. Duplantis cleared 6.25m for victory, while both vaulters tried a possible world record 6.32m, in a truly thrilling showdown that gripped the stadium\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

It was the first time in vaulting history that two athletes had gone beyond the 6.20m mark.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not every day two people go for the world record, so that was nuts,\u201d said Karalis.<\/p>\n

The icing on the cake came in the women\u2019s 800m, with the star attraction Switzerland\u2019s own Audrey Werro. Werro also did not disappoint, registering the third fastest time ever in the two-lap race, 1:53.70, as she edged ever closer to Jarmila Kratochvilova\u2019s Cold War world record of 1:53.28 set in Munich in 1983.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was crazy, I am very proud. Thank you everybody!\u201d the 22-year-old said.<\/p>\n

Femke Broeders-Bol finished second as she continues to improve in her transition from the 400m hurdles in which she was twice a world champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in a great event with a great time \u2013 amazing,\u201d the Dutch athlete said.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>A fan holds a sign urging Armand Duplantis towards a world record as the Swede attempts 6.32m after winning the men\u2019s pole vault at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich.<\/span> Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kenya\u2019s world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi held off Algeria\u2019s Djamel Sedjati for a nail-biting victory in the men\u2019s 800m.<\/p>\n

Wanyonyi has said that going for David Rudisha\u2019s world record of 1:40.91 is like running a marathon under two hours, and the mark once again proved elusive as he timed a world lead of 1:41.76 for the win. Sedjati was just 0.07sec adrift.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I see the world records being broken, I know my time will come. There is time for everything,\u201d said Wanyonyi.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n