Tobi Amusan (center), of Nigeria, wins the women's 100-meter hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships on July 24, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon. (ASHLEY LANDIS / AP)

EUGENE, Oregon - Nigeria's Tobi Amusan broke the women's 100 meters hurdles world record in a stunning semifinal effort at the World Championships on Sunday.

The record time of 12.12 seconds broke Kendra Harrison's mark of 12.20, as the American finished second in the heat.

While most athletes aim to conserve their energy in the semifinal, the 25-year-old Amusan held nothing back at Hayward field, a day after she set the African record in the opening heats.

"It is a strong feeling. I wanted to get out and go," she told reporters. "I did what I had to do. Looking forward to the finals."

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Tobi Amusan, of Nigeria, celebrates winning the women's 100-meter hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships on July 24, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon. (GREGORY BULL / AP)

She shocked the crowd at Eugene, Oregon, putting on the kind of superb performance usually reserved for prime time in the opening race of the Sunday evening schedule.

Jamaican Britany Anderson won her semifinal in a national record 12.31 seconds, with Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn also advancing (12.32).

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American Alia Armstrong and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas also advanced to the final later on Sunday.

"That was a crazy race," said Britain's Cindy Sember, who advanced on time. "I have been in shape and I knew it was coming when it matters the most."