Amusan Favourite as Russell Withdraws from Friday’s Athlos Meeting in London
Tobi Amusan has emerged as the favourite for the women’s 100m hurdles at Friday’s Athlos meeting in London after Olympic and World Ultimate champion Masai Russell withdrew from the competition.
The eagerly awaited seventh head-to-head clash of 2026 between Russell and Amusan will therefore no longer take place at the Stonex Stadium.
Amusan and Russell have met six times this year, with the American winning on every occasion, including the race in which she broke Amusan’s 100m hurdles world record.
Russell also denied the 29-year-old Nigerian the opportunity to win a fourth Diamond League title before beating her to the inaugural World Ultimate Championships title in Budapest.
The Athlos meeting was regarded as Amusan’s final opportunity in 2026 to secure a psychological victory over her Olympic rival and reduce Russell’s overall head-to-head advantage to 8-9.
However, a check of the entry list by Sportsnow.com.ng shows that Russell is no longer among the six athletes listed to compete for the $65,000 winner’s prize in the women-only meeting.
Amusan will still face a strong field that includes world indoor champion and record holder Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Megan Simmonds, two-time world champion Danielle Williams, and Americans Rayniah Jones and Alaysha Johnson.
With Russell out of the field, Amusan will start as the highest-profile contender as she looks to end her 2026 season on a winning note.
