Masai Russell won by the slimmest of margins in the women's 100-meter hurdles.

The American needed a lunge on her final stride of the race to beat out France's Cyrena Samba-Mayela for gold.

Russell pulled off the upset over Tokyo gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who settled for bronze.

Russell became the third American to win the event in the last six Olympics and she continued the Team USA streak of at least one medalist in the event in every Games dating back to Sydney in 2000.

Results

1. Masai Russell (United States) - 12.33 seconds

2. Cyrena Samba-Mayela (France) - 12.34

3. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico) - 12.36

4. Nadine Visser (Netherlands) - 12.43

5. Grace Stark (United States) - 12.43

6. Devynne Charlton (Bahamas) - 12.56

7. Alaysha Johnson (United States) - 12.93

8. Ackera Nugent (Jamaica) - DNF

Russell could not have asked for a better Olympic debut.

The 24-year-old from Maryland had the best start of the three Americans in the race and she remained in contention for the gold up until her final lunge.

Russell's win came as a surprise because of who she beat in the final. Camacho-Quinn was going for the first-ever repeat gold medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles.

Camacho-Quinn did not have the best of starts, but she surged toward the front as the race went on and was only three-hundredths off of Russell's time.

Russell won the 100-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trials, but she came into the final with the third-best qualifying time of any American.

Grace Stark and Alaysha Johnson were viewed as bigger medal threats before the race, but neither competitor medaled.

Russell's gold was important for Team USA in its gold medal battle with China. The Americans are now just two golds behind China. Russell earned Team USA's 35th gold medal in Paris and the 12th gold in track and field.