Ditaji Kambundji Stuns World with 100m Hurdles Gold in Tokyo
In a stunning turn of events at the World Athletics Crowns in Tokyo, Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji stormed to glory in the women’s 100m hurdles, claiming gold with a record-breaking performance that left suckers and rivals likewise in admiration.
The 23- time-old, frequently overshadowed by her elder family, Mujinga Kambundji, an established world and inner champion, seized her moment under the Tokyo lights.
Many had marked Ditaji as a frontrunner before the final, but on Monday night, she dispelled all doubts. Bursting out of lane 3 with explosive speed, Ditaji kept her form indefectible throughout the race, slicing 0.14 seconds off her own public record.
She crossed the line at 12.26 seconds, setting a new Swiss record and claiming her first world title.
The palm added to her European inner crown from before this time in Apeldoorn, where she clocked a European record of 7.67 seconds.
This performance now places her in common tenth on the world each-time list, a monumental achievement and the first for a Swiss athlete in this discipline.
The final featured some of the sport’s most decorated athletes. Tobu Amusan, the world record holder and defending champion from Nigeria, claimed the title with a time of 12.24 seconds.
Meanwhile, America’s Grace Stark took citation at 12.34 seconds, and reigning Olympic champion Masai Russell plodded to finish fourth at 12.44 seconds, after losing meters over several hurdles.
Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska, the 2022 European champion, secured fifth place with a season-stylish 12.49 seconds, and Nadine Visser of the Netherlands finished eighth in 12.56 seconds, still searching for her advance order on the outdoor stage.
Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji can’t believe it!
She takes the 100mH title with a 12.24 national record. #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/6rou33X8SZ
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) September 15, 2025
Despite her inner successes, Ditaji’s outdoor form had been inconsistent in 2025, and many judges pegged her as a top contender.
The final, on paper, sounded wide open, featuring Russell, who, despite her fall at the last Worlds, posted a blistering 12.17 seconds before this time, and Amusan, along with the constantly strong Grace Stark.
Yet from the gun, Ditaji never wavered. “I knew I had it in me,” she later admitted, eyes sparkling with disbelief and joy.
Speaking after the race, Ditaji was all smiles. “It’s crazy. I was giving my all,” she said, visibly overwhelmed. “I tried to focus on myself.
I was calm and pretty collected. I knew I had it in me. You could see on my face how happy I was when I realised I won.
I was surprised. I thought that I was able to do it, but I was surprised because I knew all my competitors were able to win.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added, “This is something I have been working for and to run it the way I wanted to is special.
Getting a personal best is nice, but all that mattered today was the title. This result gives me a lot of motivation to work harder but right now I am just enjoying the title. It’s amazing to be a world champion.”
She beamed as she acknowledged her family’s presence in the stands: “My family is here in the stands – my mum, dad and my aunt, and it feels amazing to be able to share this moment with them.”
The track where her sister Mujinga had reached three Olympic finals holds special meaning. Ditaji reflected: “We definitely have a good relationship with this track. I am sure my sister is excited for me.
It’s exciting to have her support. I was thinking about her a lot during these days. Our bond is really special. I know she will be thrilled. I am bringing home something really incredible.”
She went on: “Memories from Tokyo will always be amazing for my family. In 2021 (at the Olympics) my sister Munjinga was in three finals. I am sure my sister is excited for me. It’s exciting to have her support.
I was thinking about her a lot during these days. Our bond is really special. I know she will be thrilled. I am bringing home something really incredible.”
With this world title, Ditaji Kambundji not only etched her name into the record books but also gestured the rise of a new force in sprint hurdling.
Her performance resonates far beyond public pride. It’s a testament to hard work, family support, and the power of tone belief.
As Switzerland celebrates its first-ever world champion in this event, the calisthenics world is buzzing about what’s coming for Ditaji. One thing’s clear, this is only the morning.
