Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone produced the second-fastest 400-meter ever to win the world title and make history Thursday in Tokyo.The 26-year-old American, on a wet track at the Japan National Stadium, ran a championship-record 47.78 seconds from Lane 5 to take down the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino and Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser — two of the past three world champions — and become the first person ever to win world titles in both the 400m flat and hurdles.Paulino herself ran a national record (47.98s) to take silver, making it three straight world championships at which she has medalled. Naser clocked 48.19s, her fastest of the calendar year, and earned bronze.
CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD! 😱
SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE IS A 400M WORLD CHAMPION! #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/4Y4r0hn98A
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) September 18, 2025“It’s amazing, it’s an honor,” McLaughlin-Levrone said after the race. “I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400 metres hurdles to the flat 400, but ultimately, I had faith in my training. I knew I had it in me (to run that fast).”McLaughlin-Levrone smashed the American record she set in the semifinal and became only the fourth woman under 48 seconds ever, alongside Paulino, Marita Koch (47.60s) and Jarmila Kratochvílová (47.99s). Incredibly, like in Paris last summer, all nine women broke 50 seconds.It is yet another accolade for arguably the best one-lapper in track and field history. McLaughlin-Levrone, a double Olympic champion and six-time world-record holder for the 400m hurdles, made a bold switch to the flat at these championships.She is the fifth American woman to win world championship gold over 400m, the most recent of which was Phyllis Francis in 2017, and the first person ever to conquer both the hurdles and flat over one lap. She was the world champion in the 400 hurdles in 2022.Her race strategy was a bold run from the blocks, quickly up on the shoulder of Great Britain’s Amber Anning in the lane outside her. She was more than one-tenth up at 100m and further clear at halfway, with Paulino and Naser placed second and third.Paulino, the Olympic champion over this distance last summer, closed hard and temporarily threatened to close the gap off the final bend. McLaughlin-Levrone held her off, though, closing the final 100m in 12.91s, the quickest in the field.The track and field schedule is not set for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but McLaughlin-Levrone indicated she’d be open to running both 400 events if the calendar allows. In Paris last year, the heats, semifinals and finals for each were on alternating days, meaning it would’ve required six consecutive days of running to get through the finals in each. She also typically runs the 4×400 relays, which could add another two days of competition.
