2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 100 metres hurdles

Prior to the competition, Australian Sally Pearson led the season's rankings with a time of 12.48 seconds and was undefeated on the Diamond League circuit.

The United States team provided the next fastest athletes that year in the form of Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers and the 2008 Olympic champion Dawn Harper.

The defending champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica was in poor form, while the other 2009 medalists (Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Delloreen Ennis-London) were absent.

Wells had a large lead in her semi final, but clipped the ninth hurdle and struggled to maintain her balance as she finished in second.

In the final Pearson led from the gun and was not challenged, running 12.28, the fastest time in nearly two decades and moving her to fourth on the all-time list.