A nearly two-decade old record was shattered at the World Track and Field Championships on Tuesday as American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominated the 400-meter semifinals with a time of 48.29 seconds, the 11th-fastest time in history and the fastest time for an American.
McLaughlin-Levrone was shocked at her performance, telling NBC Sports’ Lewis Johnson that she ‘wasn’t expecting that.’ The track star admitted that she was impressed with her fitness and was glad it helped her to such an incredible time.
When are the 400-meter finals?
The 400-meter finals are set for Thursday, Sept. 18. The race is currently set for 9:24 p.m. ET.
What was the previous American record?
The previous American record was set in 2006 by 2012 gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross with a time of 48.70 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone beat that record by more than .4 seconds, posting the second-fastest time by any female runner in the last five years.
The only person to achieve a faster time over the last half-decade is 2024 Olympic gold medalist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic. She won the gold medal with a time of 48.17 seconds.
What is the world record?
The world record in the women’s 400 meters is 47.60 seconds. The mark was set in 1985 by German runner Marita Koch.
Syndey McLaughlin-Levrone’s Olympic history
McLaughlin-Levrone is a two-time gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles (2020, 2024). She also has an additional two gold medals as a member of the American 4×400-meter relay team, which also won gold in both 2020 and 2024.
McLaughlin-Levrone swapped to the flat 400-meter race earlier this year in an effort to become the first person to win world championship titles in both the 400-meter flat and 400-meter hurdles events.