ParisAmerican Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone swept the women’s 400-meter hurdles final on Thursday, clocking 50.37 seconds to smash her own world record and relegate her great rival, Dutchwoman Femke Bol, to bronze.
McLaughlin unleashed her full potential in the second half of the race to open a huge gap over her rivals and repeat Olympic gold in the final at the Stade de France, ahead of her compatriot Anna Cockrell, who took silver with 51.87.
Femke Bol repeated her Olympic bronze, this time with a time of 52.15.
McLaughlin, champion in Tokyo 2020, showed that she was the favourite, and made a statement against a rival, the Dutchwoman, who was boosted by the gold she won in Paris in the mixed 4×400 metre relay with a winning sprint that was one of the sensations of this Olympic edition.
The two reached the final with 21 of the 25 best times in history for the distance.
The 25-year-old American confirmed that she is the best, after having beaten her world record on June 30 in Eugene (Oregon) with a time of 50.65, in the pre-Olympic games in the United States.
Bol had already announced his ambitions, responding two weeks later with his first time under 51 seconds, in 50.95.
The 24-year-old Dutchwoman had been crowned world champion over the distance in Budapest 2023, where an injured McLaughlin was absent, who now returned to defend her Olympic reign.
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– 2024-08-10 09:00:09
