US star Sydney McLaughlin storms to a new WORLD RECORD to clinch gold in women’s 400m hurdles… pipping defending champion Dalilah Muhammad to glory in Tokyo final
The USA’s Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record to clinch the 400 metres hurdles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 21-year-old clocked 51.46 seconds having previously set a world best of 51.90s to become the first woman to break the 51-second barrier in June.
Dalilah Muhammad was second in 51.58s – which also broke McLaughlin’s previous record. The Netherlands’ Femke Bol claimed bronze.
Sydney McLaughlin beat her own world record to win gold in the women’s 400m hurdles
McLaughlin celebrates with fellow US star Dalilah Muhammad, who came a close second
McLaughlin powered through in the last 20 metres to take the title and beat defending champion Muhammad having been third on the final bend.
It came after the men’s 400m hurdles on Tuesday – already labelled one of the greatest races – when Karsten Warholm broke his own world record to win in 45.94s.
He took almost a second off his previous world best of 46.70s he set in Oslo at the start of July.
The USA’s Rai Benjamin (46.17s) was second with Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos (46.72s) third – with both coming inside Kevin Young’s long-standing previous world record of 46.78s the American set 29 years ago.
McLaughlin poses next to her new world record – a time of 51.46 seconds in the Tokyo heat
McLaughlin pipped Muhammad to the line after a brilliant closing straight in the final