Sydney McLaughlin pushes boundaries with huge 400m hurdles world record | World Athletics Championships

Shortly after Sydney McLaughlin had Shattered her own world 400m hurdles record in the performance of these Championships in fact most Championships she was presented with her gold medal and a $100,000 bonus by the World Athletics President Seb Coe. Its the best 100 grand Ive spent today, he joked.

Like everyone else in Eugene, Coe was enthralled after a spectacular performance by the 22-year-old American, who has set world records in every age category since she was 14 and shows no signs of stopping. And the Olympic Champions latest victory, in an extraordinary 50.68sec, was her best yet. Not only did it slash 0.73sec off her previous mark set at Hayward Field last month, it also made her the first woman to run under 51 seconds in the event.

It was the sixth time in three years that the world record has been broken, after Russian Yulia Pechonkinas mark of 52.34sec had stood for 16 years. For good measure, McLaughlin was also miles clear of the next two best 400m hurdlers in history, with the Netherlands’ Femke Bol taking silver in 52.27sec and her US compatriot Dalilah Muhammad claiming Bronze in 53.13sec.

Later in the night, her fellow medalists were asked if they thought 50.68sec was a time they ever thought possible. I definitely thought 50 was possible, and after that race I think 49 is possible by Sydney, laughed Muhammad.

And the scary news for her rivals is that McLaughlin believes she could have gone even quicker. We thought we’d be able to go a little bit faster, she said. But were super grateful with that time. Anything under 51 was a win for us. I think there’s always more to improve upon. There’s always more that can be shaved off, for sure. There is no such thing as a perfect race, but I don’t think that was a super-clean race.

It was the first world record broken at this years World Championships, the first on US soil, and a much-needed boost for the American women, who have excelled in the field events but had been shut out on the track. McLaughlin’s accomplishment sent shockwaves through the athletics world. Shes just special, Allyson Felix, the most decorated woman in track, wrote on Twitter. In a class of her own.

McLaughlin said she felt like she was in a flow state during those 50 seconds where she was putting everything you’ve done in practice into the race, just letting your body do what it does releasing the gifts and talents that Gods gave you. Now, though, new frontiers await with McLaughlin planning to discuss a potential crack at the 400m or even the 110m hurdles with her Coach Bobby Kersee in the coming months.

Me and Bobby are going to go back after the season, decide if this is still an event I even want to do, or if we were going to find something else because I think we accomplished so much in it, McLaughlin said. It could be the 400m. Anything is possible. Bobby will let me know. I follow what he says.

Theres talk of doubles, talks of switching, she added. Honestly, I have no clue.