Charlton lowers world 60m hurdles record to 7.65 for global gold in Glasgow

Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas lowered the 60m hurdles world record of 7.67 she shared with Tia Jones of the United States to 7.65* as she secured her first global title at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24.

Charlton, who had spoken of the need to “fix her start” after qualifying only seventh in the morning heats in 7.93, got away superbly and was never seriously threatened as she finished clear of the French athlete who had beaten her to this title two years earlier in Belgrade, Cyrena Samba-Mayela.

Samba-Mayela took silver in 7.74, with a delighted Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland claiming bronze in 7.79.

“This means a whole lot because I have set myself goals,” Charlton said. “I have not changed my technique much – just a few tweaks – but I have been working hard off the track, making sure my mental health is good and working with a sports psychologist.

“Just taking care of myself. Indoors really plays well to my skillset too.”

Masai Russell of the United States was fourth in 7.81, with fifth place going to Ireland’s Sarah Lavin, who clocked 7.91 having twice equalled her personal best of 7.90 in heats and semi-finals.

Unlike the men’s 60m hurdles, where the dynamic was essentially about how fast Grant Holloway was going to run and who was going to follow him home, this event appeared more open after Charlton’s muted opening effort.

But her semi-final victory in 7.72 demonstrated that that task of “fixing the start” had been accomplished as she got out of her blocks smartly and never looked seriously threatened, with Skrzysowska second in 7.78, equalling her personal best.

Victory in the next heat by Samba-Mayela demonstrated that this was a title that would not be given up easily as she won in a national record of 7.73 after a superb start.

But when it came to the final, she had no answer to the power and precision of her Bahamian rival.

Misfortune had arrived for one of the main contenders in the last semi-final, as Nadine Visser of the Netherlands, twice European indoor champion, smashed into the first hurdle and never recovered.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure