August 04, (THEWILL) – The world record holder in the women’s 400 metres hurdles, America’s Sydney McLaughlin, raced ahead of the tough field of athletes in the finals of the event at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games by shaving off a huge chunk out of her own leading world record to reset it and win gold.
McLaughlin clocked 51.46s to win the quarter-mile hurdles final, which delivered a competitive spectacle to rival the previous day’s men’s version that it so strangely resembled and strangely was reminiscent of.
Team America’s Dalilah Muhammad, the defending gold medalist from five years ago made a committed defence of her title but had to settle for the silver, though she crossed the line with a huge personal best of 51.58s.
That time, on its own, was better than the world record time of 51.90s, which McLaughlin set at the United States Olympic trials heading into the Tokyo Games. It was enough to have won her the gold and allowed her return to the leading podium again but for McLaughlin’s 51.46s.
Beyond the two American rivals, Dutch athlete Femke Bol chased them home to earn bronze in a European record of 52.03 for an outstanding gold, silver and bronze race. The 21-year-old Netherlands quarter-mile runner eclipsed the 2003 time of 52.34 set by Yulia Pechonkina of Russia.
The beauty of the finish is part of the Olympic spirit as all three medallists now occupy the first three places in the all-time list of performances in this event currently. That exactly mirrored the men’s 400m hurdles final of Tuesday.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
