McLaughlin-Levrone Sets Championship Record to Win 400m Gold in Tokyo
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone clinched the women's 400m title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, setting a championship record of 47.78 seconds.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone secured the women's 400m title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, recording a championship record time of 47.78 seconds. This performance marks the fastest women's 400m time in 40 years, placing her second on the all-time list behind Marita Koch's 1985 world record of 47.60 seconds.
The race featured a close contest among McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino, and 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser. Paulino finished second with a personal best of 47.98 seconds, becoming the third-fastest woman in history. Naser claimed bronze with a time of 48.19 seconds.
McLaughlin-Levrone's victory signifies a successful transition from the 400m hurdles, where she holds two Olympic and one world title, to the flat 400m event. She is now the first athlete to win world championship gold in both disciplines.
Reflecting on her achievement, McLaughlin-Levrone expressed gratitude for her success and acknowledged room for improvement. Paulino, while disappointed with her lane assignment, took pride in breaking the 48-second barrier and expressed optimism about challenging the world record in the future.