Sydney McLaughlin entered Friday’s 400m hurdle competition already the world record holder in the event, and also the best chance at another world record performance at the these world games.
At 50.68, McLaughlin’s record-breaking performance is the second time this month that she has broken her own record.
“Just figuring out what barriers can be broken, I only get faster from here,” McLaughlin said. “I knew coming home that if I just kept my cadence and stayed on stride pattern, we could do it and it happened.”
American Daliah Muhammad took third. Her season’s best time of 53.13 placed her right behind No.1 ranked Dutch Femke Bol who took silver.
After setting the world lead at Hayward Field at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June, Michael Norman delivered another memorable performance, outlasting Kirani James of Grenada to win gold in the men’s 400m.
“It will take some time to reflect on what it means to be a champion and to understand what it takes to be better,” Norman said. “It is an amazing feeling for sure.”
Twenty-three-year-old American Champion Allison just missed the podium, finishing .11 seconds behind bronze medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain.
In the women’s 400, Shaunae Miller-Uibo captured her first World Athletics Championship gold medal after taking silver in the event in 2019.
Marileidy Paulino, who was ranked No. 1 entering the event, took silver, posting a time of 49.60 while Sada Williams of Barbados claimed bronze, the first medal for the island nation of the games.
“I’m not surprised that Shaunae (Miller-Uibo) won,” Williams said. “I’m very happy that all medal winners are from the Caribbean.”
On her last throw of the evening American Kara Winger moved from fifth to second place in the women’s javelin throw with a toss of 64.05m. Gold medalist Kelsey-Lee Barber threw 66.91. Previously, she had won bronze in Tokyo in 2020.
In 2:39.16 Kimberly García León of Peru got the day started, winning the inaugural women’s 35 km race walk. With Polish Katarzyna Zdziebło and China’s Qieyang Shiejie taking third the podium shaped up identically to the women’s 20km race walk.
“After my 20km win, I tried to stay well hydrated, to eat well to get ready for the 35km,” García León said. “My plan was to set a steady pace until 20km and gradually up the pace from there. I have always dreamed of making history in a sport I am so passionate about, that I have been practicing since I was five.”
Christian Coleman, Elijah Hall, silver medalist in the men’s 100m Marvin Bracy, and 200m gold medalist Noah Lyles crushed the world lead at 39.87 in their 4×100 qualifying heat.
“We are super excited. This is a fun part,” Coleman said. “If we put it together right, you know what I am saying, we can definitely come with the win and at least the American record so I am very excited.”
On the women’s side of the 4×100 qualifier the US women’s also fared well with Melissa Jefferson, Aleia Hobbs, Jenna Prandini and Twanisha Terry posting the fastest time at 41.56.
“It felt good, we were preparing well for these championships,” Terry said. “It felt comfortable to get the stick around and the conditions were great.”
