Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA celebrates after winning the women's 400-meter final and setting a new championship record at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday in Tokyo. Photo by Mast Ihram/EPA
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone galloped over a soaked track for the fastest 400-meter race for a woman since 1985 on Thursday en route to a record-setting world title.
"I'm just grateful," McLaughlin-Levrone said at the World Athletics Championships at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. "You know it's there and you know you put the work in. To see it come to fruition, it's always a bit of disbelief."
McLaughlin-Levrone, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, clocked a 47.78 in the event, edging Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who logged a national-record 47.98, the third-fasted time in history.
Marita Koch of East Germany set the 400-meter record with a 47.60 at a World Cup meet Oct. 6, 1985, in Canberra, Australia.
