From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Pleasantville’s Nia Ali ran her fastest hurdles time in three years Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.

Ali, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, ran 12.59 with a legal wind at the Tom Jones Invitational at Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressley Stadium at the University of Florida.

It’s her fastest time since she ran a lifetime-best 12.34 to win the IAAF World Championships at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, in October 2019.

Ali, 33, did not compete in 2020 and didn’t run a 100-meter hurdles race in 2021. She opened this season with a wind-aided 12.59 at the University of Miami in March before racing this weekend in Gainesville.

She ran 12.81 in the trials before taking second in the final in 12.59, finishing behind only 2021 Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Jamaica, who won the race in 12.39, No. 1 in the world this year.

Ali’s 12.59 is No. 5 in the world this year and No. 4 among U.S. women. Ali ranks No. 10 in world history with her 12.34 from 2019 and No. 4 in U.S. history.

World this year: https://www.worldathletics.org/records/toplists/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles/outdoor/women/senior/2022?regionType=world&timing=electronic&windReading=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true

U.S. this year: https://www.worldathletics.org/records/toplists/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles/outdoor/women/senior/2022?regionType=countries&region=usa&timing=electronic&windReading=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true

World all-time: https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles/outdoor/women/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&windReading=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2022-04-16

U.S. all time:
https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles/outdoor/women/senior?regionType=countries&region=usa&timing=electronic&windReading=regular&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2022-04-16

Ali’s 12.59 is her 8th-fastest time ever in the 100-meter highs and her fastest ever this early in the year. In fact, the earliest she’s ever run sub-12.60 previously was 12.48 on June 22, 2013, when she was 3rd in the U.S. Championships.

In fact, her time is 12th-fastest in U.S. history before May 1.

Other than a couple exhibition races, Ali sat out the 2020 COVID season, and then she sat out the 2021 Olympic season to have her second child, her first daughter, last May.