The 34-year-old, who clinched the world championship title in 2019, faces an even tougher challenge with the Nigerian world record holder and defending champion, Tobi Amusan, having been cleared of a doping offense by the Athletics Integrity Unit, allowing her to compete.
Ali welcomes the competition, saying, “I look forward to seeing her on the start line. All the better for us as it means faster times.” The field also includes former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, ensuring a high level of competition.
Despite the challenges, Ali is in exceptional form, currently holding the world’s best time this year at 12.30 seconds from the Monaco Diamond League meet and winning the US championship at the trials.
Ali, who missed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to giving birth to her third child, distinguishes between her professional life and her domestic one but values her children’s honest feedback on her races. She humorously notes, “They keep me very humble. If I do not win, they ask ‘what happened? You fell last time, perhaps you did not recover from this?’ They are my toughest critics.”
Her children, whose father is Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse, are equally supportive. They express pride in her accomplishments and show their understanding of the competitive nature of her sport. Ali appreciates their unwavering support and acknowledges that they keep her strong.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who turns 27 on Monday, hopes to give herself a birthday present with a gold medal in Budapest. She enters the championships unbeaten in 10 races this season, eager to turn last year’s bronze medal into gold.