The mother of two has a four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter and yet returned to terrific shape to beat fellow American Kendra Harrison, the world record holder running 12.46 for silver, plus Danielle Williams, as the Jamaican ran 12.47 for bronze.
“I’ve been training really hard since coming back from having my kids,” the 30-year-old said. “These other ladies have been raising the bar so I had to increase my intensity level to match them.”
She added: “I knew I was really fit all year so I was praying that the taper would work and that I’d come out running well in the first round and from there on.”
In one of the last events of the championships, Ali ran PBs in the semi-final (12.44) and final.
“This is super special,” said Ali, who had her son, Titus, in 2015 with Olympic 400m hurdles medallist Michael Tinsley and her daughter, Yuri, last year with current sprint star Andre De Grasse. “I have never won an outdoor world title, I am ecstatic. Shelly-Ann, Allyson, all the ladies who have come back from childbirth are an inspiration for me and I am so excited to be able to pull off the world title.”
This story is from the October 10, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
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This story is from the October 10, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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