Tokyo Olympics: Sydney McLaughlin is crowned the new 400m hurdles Olympic champion with a new world record
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Sydney McLaughlin
USA hurdler Sydney McLaughlin recorded a new jaw-breaking world record of 51.46 seconds to be crowned the new Olympic champion in women’s 400m hurdles.
The event was one of the most anticipated events in the Tokyo Olympics. The final was touted to be one of the most fierce contests in the tournament and it truly enjoyed a nail-biting finish with McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad both running neck-to-neck in the last 30m stretch. Such was the manner of their competition that both of them broke McLaughlin’s previous record of 51.90 seconds.
USA hurdlers McLaughlin and Muhammad have been brutal competitors to each other in this event since 2019 and resulted in fantastic times ever since. Their competition drew fans to the unpredictable races. This on-track rivalry between these two superstars had given birth to three world records. And now, a fourth one.
Muhammad first broke Yuliya Pechonkina’s 16-year-old world record of 52.34 seconds by clocking 52.20 seconds at the 2019 USA World Championships Trial. She went on to rewrite it again at the 2019 Doha World Championships with 52.16 seconds. The defending Olympic champion became the only second woman in the history of the 400m hurdles to win an Olympic title and create a world record.
At both of these competitions, Sydney McLaughlin had bagged the silver medal. But she peaked at the right time and shattered Muhammad’s world record by clocking an awe-striking 51.90 seconds at the US Olympic Trials. McLaughlin became the first woman ever to breach the 52 second barrier. And now she has bettered her own world record to 51.46 seconds.
The two of them had been in top form at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics hinting at an electrifying final that it became. In the heats, Muhammad had given the top time while McLaughlin was ranked 4th. McLaughlin progressed to the top rank and Muhammad was 2nd in the semi-finals.
This intense on-track rivalry between Muhammad and McLaughlin made the fans sit on the edge of their seat as they watched them blaze through the track.
Sydney McLaughlin emerges victorious through the embers of a fiery race
USA hurdler Sydney McLaughlin has emerged victorious in the fiery women’s 400m hurdles finals at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Rio gold medallist Dalilah Muhammad of USA came second with run of 51.58 seconds and Femke Bol of Netherlands came third with a time of 52.03 seconds.
McLaughlin became only the third woman in the history of 400m hurdles to clinch an Olympic title and have a world record on her name. The world no. 1 made a comeback in the last 100m stretch and sped to victory in the last few metres.
The women’s 400m hurdles race as expected was a fiery one with a star-studded line-up. Each of the hurdlers scorched through the field producing one of the most incredible races with multiple personal bests. The women’s 400m hurdles will be counted as one of the highlights of athletics at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
Also Read: Sydney McLaughlin Bio, Net Worth, Career Achievements, Coach, Parents, and more
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Ira Deokule
(181 Articles Published)