SARAH LAVIN BROKE Derval OโRourkeโs Irish 100m hurdles record in the World Championship semi-finals on Wednesday night.
The Limerick hurdler ran a new personal best of 12.62 seconds, bettering the national record set by OโRourke 13 years ago by three-hundredths of a second.
But it was not fast enough to see her through to the final as she finished fifth in a fiercely-competitive field in Budapest.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ฎ.๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ! ๐ฅ
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) August 23, 2023
A phenomenal performance and achievement for Sarah! ๐
Such a worthy breaker of @DervalORourke's 100m Hurdle record. ๐#TeamIreland | #WorldAthleticsChamps | #Budapest | @irishathletics pic.twitter.com/LzUkijXT79
Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Kendra Harrison of the United States won in an impressive 12.33 seconds, with Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas taking the second automatic qualification spot in 12.49.
To break the national record without progressing was โbittersweetโ, Lavin said afterwards.
โWe got it,โ she told Virgin Mediaโs Will Dalton. โIโve dreamt of getting that national record since I was that size.
โI made a mistake on hurdle nine and it cost me, but I was up there with some of the best in the world, and I guess 12 months out from the Paris Olympics, thatโs where you want to be.โ
She added: โIt was a brilliant race โ it was the best race by an Irish person ever. Sorry, Dervalโฆ she made me work hard enough for it now, letโs be honest.โ
"We got it! I've dreamt of getting that National Record since I was that size. We have it!
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) August 23, 2023
"Sorry Derval! She made me work hard for it!
"It's been difficult, but I've had something wonderful around me."
- @sarahlavin_. ๐#TeamIreland #WorldAthleticsChamps @WillDalton01 pic.twitter.com/TRzLc36ilg
Defending champion Tobi Amusan (12.56) and Ackera Nugent (12.60) were the two automatic qualifiers from the second semi-final, while Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.41) and Nia Ali (12.49) qualified automatically from the third semi.
Danielle Williams and Ditaji Kambundji, both of whom ran 12.50 seconds, progressed as the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
