On July 3, 1983, she set her first world record for the 100 meters, running 10.79 seconds at the National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was one of the favorites to win the 100-meter title at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki. In the final, however, she pulled a hamstring muscle and fell. The other main favorite, Marlies Göhr of East Germany (who had already beaten Ashford earlier that year), went on to win.