McLaughlin-Levrone smashes world record to retain 400m hurdles crown

It is the sixth time McLaughlin-Levrone has broken the world record

Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 400m Hurdles Final - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 08, 2024. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of United States crosses the line to win gold and sets a new world record. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone obliterated her own 400 metres hurdles world record with a time of 50.37 seconds to retain her Olympic title on Thursday.

Anna Cockrell made it a US 1-2 in a time of 51.87 and Dutchwoman Femke Bol, who had been expected to challenge for gold, faded in the last 50 metres to take bronze in 52.15.

It was the sixth time McLaughlin-Levrone had broken the world record, lowering her previous mark of 50.65 set at the U.S. trials in June.

The crowd at the Stade de France went into a frenzy when it became clear a new all-time best was within her reach and she fittingly rang the victory bell with a glittering tiara perched atop her head.

The first woman to break the 52 and 51-second barriers in the event, McLaughlin-Levrone has been on a mission to rewrite the history books whenever she competes.

She walked to her blocks like a prize fighter stepping into the ring, expressionless despite the chorus of cheers that greeted her, and wrested the lead from the moment the gun went off.

Bol, the only other woman to have cracked 51 seconds, was widely seen as McLaughlin-Levrone's closet challenger and had a large Dutch cohort in the stands firmly on her side, but she never got a leg up on the Americans.

The 2022 world champion McLaughlin-Levrone was miles ahead of the field down the final straight as Cockrell held on to produce a personal best in second.