Video: Watch Sydney McLaughlin Break 400m Hurdles World Record at U.S. Olympic Trials
Sydney McLaughlin, welcome to the record books.
The 400-meter hurdles runner not only set the world record at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Sunday night with a time of 51.9 seconds, she also became the first woman in history to ever run under 52 seconds.
The previous record of 52.16 seconds was set by 2016 Olympics gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad‘s at the 2019 World Championships. Muhammad finished in second on Sunday night (52.42 seconds) and Anna Cockrell was third (53.70). All three women qualified for the Tokyo Games.
As for McLaughlin, she credited a coaching change from Joanna Hayes to Bobby Kersee in part for her record run.
“It’s truly just faith and trusting the process. I couldn’t ask for anything more,” she said on the NBC broadcast. “I’m really happy I chose to go with [Kersee].”
