Tokyo 2020: Sydney McLaughlin breaks own world record to win women's 400M hurdles

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Bengaluru, August 4: Sydney McLaughlin shaved almost half a second off her own world record as she came from behind to win the women's 400m hurdles at Tokyo 2020 on Wednesday.

The American followed up Karsten Warholm's world record feats in the men's equivalent event on Tuesday, with a time of 51.46.

McLaughlin eclipsed her previous mark of 51.90, set in June earlier this year at the USA Olympic trials in Eugene.

USA's Dalilah Muhammad also broke the previous world record mark, claiming silver with a personal best 51.58.

Muhammad set the early pace but McLaughlin mowed her down over the final 100m to claim victory.

Femke Bol, from the Netherlands, won the bronze medal with a European record time of 52.03.

The top three all beat the previous Olympic record of 52.64, set by Jamaica's Melaine Walker at Beijing 2008.

Jamaica's Janieve Russell was fourth with Ukrainian pair Anna Ryzhykova and Viktoriya Tkachuk unable to threaten from the inside lanes, to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

Before the start of Tokyo 2020 Games, myKhel.com had picked McLaughlin as one of the stars to watch out for at the Games and the American proved just that.

McLaughlin had recently broken the 400M hurdles record when she won the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon in 51.90sec, becoming the first woman to finish the event in under 52sec and het set her eyes firmly on an Olympic gold.

Reigning Olympic and world champion Dalilah, her chief rival, was the one who stood between her and the top of the podium.

But it is all done and dusted now now as just 24 hours after a historic race in the men's 400M hurdles, the women's final too resulted in a similarly mind-boggling outcome with McLaughlin reigning supreme in record time to clinch the yellow metal.

(With OPTA inputs)