It took nearly 16 years for the women’s 400m hurdles world record set in August 2003 to be broken. Dalilah Muhammad did it by running 52.20 seconds in July 2019. In July 2022, she had one of the best views in the house as her compatriot faded away into the distance ahead of her (and Femke Bol) to run a full lap with 10 hurdles in a sub-51 timing.
Sydney McLaughlin wrote another astonishing chapter in her track and field career on Friday, obliterating her own world record as she powered to a jaw-dropping victory in the women’s 400m hurdles at the World Championships in Oregon.
The 22-year-old American prodigy left rivals trailing in her wake at Hayward Field in Eugene as she took gold with a stunning time of 50.68sec – the first time any woman has ducked under the 51-second barrier.
Her astonishing winning time was faster than the seventh and eighth placed times in the women’s flat 400m final race earlier on Friday.
McLaughlin’s incredible performance sliced more than half a second of her own world record of 51.41sec, set at the same venue during the US trials last month.
Bol of the Netherlands took silver in 52.27sec while McLaughlin’s team-mate and defending champion Muhammad of the United States took bronze in 53.13sec.
“Honestly I just wanted to go for it,” McLaughlin said afterwards.
“The last 100 really hurt, but I’m grateful to have this crowd...It all came together today and another medal for the Team USA.
“It was absolutely unreal to have my family in the stands. I have never had them together at one place. So this was for me so big.”
“McLaughlin holds the world 400m hurdles bests at every age from 14 to 19. She holds the world U18 record at 54.18 – no one has ever got within a second of it. She holds the fastest ever time by an U20 athlete at 52.75 – no one has got within 1.5 seconds of that,” read the report on World Athletics.
50.68 🤯
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 23, 2022
It’s @GoSydGo's 🇺🇸 world, we’re just living in it #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/ytyM4IMWUb
Bol and Muhammad would have had some hopes of challenging McLaughlin for gold before the race.
But McLaughlin was in a league of her own almost from the gun, surging clear of Muhammad with a blistering opening 200m and coming off the final bend several meters clear of her rivals.
‘It was crazy’
Any fears that McLaughlin had gone out too hard over the opening 300 was wiped out down the home stretch as she kicked for home with a vengeance, powering through the line to complete one of the greatest performances in track and field history.
McLaughlin sat crouched on the track after her win, seemingly in disbelief at the scale of her own achievement.
The rapturous reception from the home crowd was in stark contrast to last year’s Olympic final – when McLaughlin set another world record on her way to gold only to be greeted by relative silence, with Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium devoid of fans due to Covid-19.
“After Tokyo, not having anybody, this was like a redemption,” said McLaughlin, who believes she can run even faster.
“The time is absolutely amazing and the sport is getting faster and faster. Just figuring out what barriers can be broken. I only get faster from here.”
Dutch silver medallist Bol was left in awe of McLaughlin’s performance.
“It was crazy,” Bol said. “She was so far in front at the end so I was always doubting if I really had a good race because it felt very good. And then I saw the sign and I was like: ‘Wow!’. This is just amazing and it means a lot that she also broke the 51-second barrier.
“It is unbelievable but it is amazing to be a part of it and to come out second in such a race.”
At the end of such a run, there’s an expectation that McLaughlin will simply get faster.
“I definitely thought 50 (seconds) was possible, and after that race I think 49 is possible – by Sydney,” laughed Muhammad.
All-time best women's 400mH timing
Rank | Mark | Competitor | DOB | Nat | Pos | Venue | Date | Results Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 50.68 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1f1 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 22 JUL 2022 | 1312 | |
2 | 51.41 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 25 JUN 2022 | 1288 | |
3 | 51.46 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1 | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 04 AUG 2021 | 1286 | |
4 | 51.58 | Dalilah MUHAMMAD | 07 FEB 1990 | USA | 2 | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 04 AUG 2021 | 1282 | |
5 | 51.61 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1f1 | Vanderbilt Track, Nashville, TN (USA) | 05 JUN 2022 | 1281 | |
6 | 51.90 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 27 JUN 2021 | 1272 | |
7 | 52.03 | Femke BOL | 23 FEB 2000 | NED | 3 | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 04 AUG 2021 | 1267 | |
8 | 52.16 | Dalilah MUHAMMAD | 07 FEB 1990 | USA | 1 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha (QAT) | 04 OCT 2019 | 1263 | |
9 | 52.17 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | 07 AUG 1999 | USA | 1sf3 | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 20 JUL 2022 | 1263 | |
10 | 52.20 | Dalilah MUHAMMAD | 07 FEB 1990 | USA | 1 | Drake Stadium, Des Moines, IA (USA) | 28 JUL 2019 | 1262 |
Women's 400mH WR progression in recent times
Mark | Competitor | Country | Venue | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
50.68 * | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | USA | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 22 JUL 2022 |
51.41 * | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | USA | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 25 JUN 2022 |
51.46 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | USA | National Stadium, Tokyo (JPN) | 04 AUG 2021 |
51.90 | Sydney MCLAUGHLIN | USA | Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA) | 27 JUN 2021 |
52.16 | Dalilah MUHAMMAD | USA | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha (QAT) | 04 OCT 2019 |
52.20 | Dalilah MUHAMMAD | USA | Drake Stadium, Des Moines, IA (USA) | 28 JUL 2019 |
52.34 | Yulia PECHONKINA | RUS | Tula (RUS) | 08 AUG 2003 |
Here are some more numbers that puts McLaughlin’s effort into context:
Sydney McLaughlin destroys the world 400m hurdles record in Eugene with a time that's probably faster the national record for the flat 400m in a lot of countries. https://t.co/sWRhkj4zmv
— Jason Henderson (@Jason_AW) July 23, 2022
How unreal is Sydney McLaughlin?
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) July 23, 2022
See the runner in second place when McLaughlin crosses the finish line? That's Femke Bol. She ran a 52.27... which would've been good enough to set the world record until 2019! It's one of the fastest runs ever! And she's barely in the picture! pic.twitter.com/YmBKKx7ehA
Sydney McLaughlin's 50.68s in the 400mH will be the 19th fastest 400m flat in the World this year!!!
— Track & Field Gazette (@Athleticsglobe) July 23, 2022
GREATNESS.🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/tY1rSAOXQ7
Dominance, visualized: the three fastest female hurdlers of all-time were all in this race.
— Jonathan Gault (@jgault13) July 23, 2022
Sydney McLaughlin is at the front.
Femke Bol -- the 3rd-fastest ever -- is a distant second.
Dalilah Muhammad -- the 2nd-fastest ever -- isn't even in the shot. pic.twitter.com/ROUJgkD6qw
Sydney McLaughlin's 50.68 is the 19th fastest 400m time of the year.
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) July 23, 2022
She did it over 10 hurdles. #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/dgz9o7x8ZM
Only 22, Femke Bol now holds five of the six fastest times in history by a European in the 400m hurdles. 🤯
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 23, 2022
🇳🇱 Bol 52.03
🇳🇱 Bol 52.27
🇳🇱 Bol 52.27
🇷🇺 Pechonkina 52.34
🇳🇱 Bol 52.37
🇳🇱 Bol 52.61#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/10rtWLGMNF
The first woman to run sub-51 in the 400m hurdles. @GoSydGo's world record (50.68) would have finished seventh in the flat 400m.
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 23, 2022
She's in a class of her own at just 22 years old. #WorldAthleticsChamps x #WCHOregon22 pic.twitter.com/XaIZbx6Ulh
2022 Fastest 400m Runners In The World:
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) July 23, 2022
1) 49.11 Shaunae Miller-Uibo
…
19) 50.68 Sydney McLaughlin WITH TEN HURDLES IN HER WAY 🤯🤯
Sydney can break the World Record in the 400m open. That’s it that’s the tweet.
— Erik Kynard Jr. (@Erik_Kynard) July 23, 2022
With AFP inputs