Sydney McLauglin shines on final day of US Trials and signed the new world record in the 400 hurdles. Mrs. Levrone has come back strong from last season’s injury, has shown her competitive caliber over the past two months, and last night she signed a sensational performance on the barrier lap in Eugene. The American champion ran a a resounding 50.65, improving the record by three hundredths which he printed on this track on 25 July 2022 on the occasion of the World Championships, where he naturally won the gold medal.
The only woman in history to break the 51-second barrier put on a show right from the start, clearly taking the lead and displaying a highly elegant dance between the barriers, displaying her proverbial rhythm in approaching the obstacles and offering a regal cadence. Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion dominates the top of the all-time world lists with three sumptuous time trials (50.64, 50.68, 51.41), then comes the Dutch Femke Bol with last year’s 51.45: she is indisputably the queen of the specialty and has already written a piece of history.
Today’s result represents a clear message ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics: the not yet 25-year-old (she will blow out her candles on August 7) is the number 1 candidate for victory and seems unbeatable. Femke Bol, who won the European Championships in Rome with 52.49, will really have to outdo herself if she wants to give herself her big dream at the Games: the reigning World Champion (McLaughlin was absent in Budapest due to injury) currently seems a step below the American. For the record, Anna Cockrell (52.64) and Jasmine Jones (52.77) will also go to the Games, Shamier Little (52.98) and Dalilah Muhammad (54.27 for the former world record holder) will stay home.
