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New Delhi: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the 400 metres gold with a breathtaking run at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The American athlete ran the fastest women's 400 metres in 40 years and the second-fastest in the history of the discipline to claim the top podium spot. McLaughlin-Levrone won the gold in 47.78 seconds on Thursday to complete her transition from the one-lap hurdles in stunning fashion.
The American superstar breezed through the rainy conditions in Tokyo to clinch a first global gold in the flat 400m, adding the world title to her two Olympic and one world titles in the hurdles.
Meanwhile, Olympic gold medallist and reigning champion Marileidy Paulino secured the silver medal in 47.98. The Dominican Republic athlete also became the third fastest woman of all time over the single lap.
Bahrain's former world champion Salwa Eid Naser claimed the bronze in 48.19.
McLaughlin-Levrone's 47.78 seconds in Tokyo is the second-fastest time in history behind German Marita Koch's world record of 47.60 from 1985.
The American runner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world record breaker in the 400m hurdles, also became the first person to win world titles in both one-lap events.
McLaughlin-Levrone switched to the flat 400m this season to seek a new challenge after going undefeated in the 400m hurdles since winning the silver at the 2019 World Championships.
Meanwhile, Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba edged past four-time defending champion Yulimar Rojas to claim women’s triple jump gold. Rojas, participating in her first major competition in two years, won the bronze in her first competition in two years.
In-form Perez laid down a marker with a 14.85 first effort, just behind her own 14.93 in March, which is the season's best. She raised her game with efforts of 14.90 and 14.94 in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. She capped off a sensational series with a 14.94m sixth effort.
