Paulinho and McLaughlin-Levrone both ran under 48 seconds, going toe to toe all the way to the finish line in the 400 meter final, but it was the American that would emerge victorious at the ongoing Tokyo World Championships.

American star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone delivered a performance for the ages in the women’s 400 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, breaking a 40-year-old championship record with a stunning 47.78 seconds run.

McLaughlin-Levrone, already celebrated as the dominant force in the 400m hurdles, underlined her versatility and supremacy on the flat track. Her time not only secured gold but also erased one of the sport’s longest-standing records, cementing her legacy across multiple events.

Hot on her heels, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic claimed silver in a national record 47.98 seconds, becoming only the second woman in history from her nation to break the 48-second barrier. 

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Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion, secured bronze with a season’s best of 48.19 seconds, ensuring a podium packed with global sprinting heavyweights.

Behind them, Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka (49.27) and Britain’s Amber Anning (49.36) both clocked personal season bests in a fiercely contested race. 

Cuba’s Roxana Gómez also impressed, setting a new national record of 49.48.

The final marked one of the fastest women’s 400m races in history, with five athletes dipping under 50 seconds.

 But the night belonged to McLaughlin-Levrone, who once again redefined the limits of women’s sprinting with a performance that will be remembered as one of the great moments of these championships.