Did McLaughlin-Levrone Just Break a 42-Year Championship Record?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaks a 42-year-old record in women's 400m.
- Hernandez dethrones Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas in women's triple jump.
- Collen Kebinatshipi wins Botswana's first world title in men's 400m.
- Marileidy Paulino sets a national record for silver.
- Emerging talents signal future growth for athletics.
Tokyo, Sep 18 (NationPress) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone from the United States stole the spotlight today by breaking the longest-standing record at the World Athletics Championships held here on Thursday. In another highlight, the women's triple jump final witnessed Hernandez overthrowing the four-time world champion and Olympic titleholder Yulimar Rojas from Venezuela.
McLaughlin-Levrone, a two-time Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, clinched victory in the women's 400m final with a remarkable time of 47.78 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 47.99 seconds set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia at the inaugural World Championships back in 1983.
"I was aware that many doubted my transition from the 400m hurdles to the flat 400m, but I had confidence in my training," commented the 26-year-old. "We should discuss my schedule for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Perhaps I could compete in both the 400m and 400m hurdles."
The reigning Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic achieved a national record of 47.98 seconds to secure the silver medal, while Salwa Eid Naser, a former world champion from Bahrain, took bronze with a season-best time of 48.19 seconds, as reported by Xinhua.
Botswana celebrated in the men's 400m final as 21-year-old Collen Kebinatshipi, who was a silver medallist in the 4x400m relay at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, set a world-leading time of 43.53 seconds to win his first world title.
Jereem Richards from Trinidad and Tobago claimed silver with a new national record of 43.72 seconds, while Kebinatshipi's compatriot Bayapo Ndori secured bronze in a season-best of 44.20 seconds.
"This is my first title, and it feels surreal," expressed Kebinatshipi. "The presence of three athletes from Botswana in this final demonstrates our development. We are truly advancing as Botswana and as Africa."
The women's triple jump final saw Hernandez dethrone Rojas. The 23-year-old Cuban soared to a world-leading 14.94 meters on her third attempt to clinch the title.
Thea LaFond from Dominica set a national record of 14.89 meters to take silver, marking her nation's first-ever medal in this event, while Rojas finished with a bronze at 14.76 meters.