Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone cemented her status as one of the most dominant athletes of the modern era with her victory in the Olympic 400m hurdles final, breaking her own world record with a time of 50.37 seconds.
The 25-year-old confirmed her mastery in an event in which she has now broken the world record six times, when she easily defeated the formidable Dutch star Femke Bol (52.15) on Thursday evening to take third place in the Stade de France. American Anna Cockrell won silver in 51.87.
McLaughlin-Levrone is expected to compete in the 4x400m relay later this week, where she can win her third career Olympic gold medal.
With the gold, she becomes the first American to defend gold in an individual track event since Michael Johnson’s two gold medals in the 400 meters in 1996 and 2000.
Earlier in the evening, the Americans won two medals in the 200m: 100m champion Noah Lyles won bronze and Kenny Bednarek took silver behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who ran fantastically to take gold. After the race, it was announced that Lyles is suffering from Covid.
The US claimed another gold later on Thursday when Grant Holloway won the men’s 110m hurdles ahead of teammate Daniel Roberts. Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell won bronze.
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