The 2015 world champion retains her title in Budapest after battling back from injuries

As comeback stories go, Danielle Williams’ victory in the 100m hurdles was one of the most stunning at the World Championships. It is eight years since she last won a world title – in Beijing in 2015 – and in the run-up to the final on Thursday (Aug 24) she was third in the Jamaican Champs and also her heat and semi-final in Budapest.

“When I won in 2015 it was unbelievable,” she said. “But this took a lot of hard work, a lot of years of toil and injuries and losing my confidence and battling to get back to this stage.”

In a blanket finish, Williams clocked 12.43 (-0.2) from lane one to beat Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico by one hundredth of a second with Keni Harrison of the United States a further two hundredths of a second behind in third.

World record-holder Tobi Amusan was sixth after having an anti-doping suspension for missed drugs tests overturned on the eve of the championships.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” Williams added. “I came out here knowing that I could win but I would have to give everything I had. I still don't believe I won against such a stellar field.

“I've been racing these ladies all year and they have been kicking me left, right and centre. But I had such confidence in my training and my abilities that I never stopped believing.”

Camacho-Quinn said: “This final was packed with talents and I was defeated by just one hundredth of a second so I don't have any bitter feelings.”

Harrison had run 12.24 – the equal fourth quickest time in history – in her heat and then 12.33 in her semi-final but was slightly slower in the final.

She said: “To get out on the world stage and get a medal is something to be grateful for. Next year is the Olympics and I have all the motivation in the world. I was hitting hurdles tonight but a medal is a medal and it's been an unbelievable championships.”

Britain’s Cindy Sember had gone out in the semi-finals after finishing sixth in her race in 12.97.

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