Sydney McLaughlin set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the World Championships
in Eugene, breaking her own mark by nearly three-quarters of a second.
The 22-year-old American crushed her personal record of 51.41 seconds established in June
when she crossed the finish line in 50.68 seconds, leaving her competitors in the dust.
McLaughlin declared, “The timing is really incredible and the sport is becoming quicker and
faster.”
“From here, I can only become faster.” Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who won bronze at the
2016 Tokyo Olympics, won silver in 52.27, beating off Dalilah Muhammad of the United States.
The world record was held by Muhammad when he broke it twice in 2019; on the second
occasion, he ran 52.16 to defeat McLaughlin and win the gold in the most recent global
championships in Doha.
However, McLaughlin has now ran five of the six quickest times in history after bettering that
record four times in the previous 13 months.
Her winning time was quicker than the marks for seventh and eighth in the women’s flat 400-
meter final, which was run 30 minutes earlier on the same track.
“Being surrounded by my family in the stands was really surreal. They have never been in one
spot with me.” Second-placed Bol remarked that witnessing McLaughlin’s pace in person was
strange.
Bol said, “It was wild.” “I constantly questioned if I had a decent race because she was so far
ahead at the finish line even though it felt great. “She also broke the 51-second barrier, which is
really significant.
“To be a part of it and finish second in such a race is incredible, but great.” McLaughlin again
suggested that she might move the events, with a transfer to the 400-meter flat appearing to be
the most likely.
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