Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdle on Thursday in Paris, winning gold for the U.S. in the event for the second straight Olympics.
McLaughlin-Levrone, a New Brunswick, New Jersey, native, recorded a 50.37 time in the final, breaking her own world record, and setting the record for the sixth time. Earlier this summer, she lowered the 400 hurdles world record for the fifth time since June 2021.
She previously won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she set the world record with a 50.65.
2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS: LIVE UPDATES
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States crosses the finish line to win the gold medal after competing in the women’s 400m hurdles final on day thirteen of the Paris Olympic Games at Stade de France on August 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Her performance on Thursday led the U.S. to a 1-2 sweep in the event, as fellow American Anna Cockrell took silver with a 51.87 — a full 1.5 seconds behind McLaughlin Levrone. The Netherland’s Femke Bol took bronze with 52.15.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
McLaughlin-Levrone has a long-running rivalry with Bol. In June, Bol became the only other women’s 400 hurdler ever to break the 51-second barrier.
At the Olympic trials, McLaughlin-Levrone said “I think there’s something really exciting about figuring out how to improve upon history.”
The U.S.’ Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone celebrates after winning the women’s 400m hurdles final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
McLaughlin-Lavrone typically prefers to save herself for the global championship meets. She previously took a one-year break from the 400-meter hurdles, embracing the challenge of focusing on the open 400 for the first time in her career.
McLaughlin-Levrone has been one of the ascendant stars in American track and field since her mid-teens. As a 15-year-old, McLaughlin was the 2015 World youth champion. In 2016, she became the youngest athlete since Denean Howard in 1980 to qualify for the U.S. Olympic track team, having placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials, with the current world under-18 best of 54.15.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Source link
