McLaughlin sets new 400m hurdles world record at athletic worlds

EUGENE: The eighth day of the World Athletics Championships was capped with a new world record by Sydney McLaughlin of the United States in the women’s 400m hurdles on Friday.

The 22-year-old double Olympic champion smashed her own world mark to win her second world title in 50.68 seconds. Dutch Femke Bol, also 22, finished second in 52.27 while American veteran Dalilah Muhammad, who won this event at 2016 Rio Olympics, took bronze in 53.13.

The 24-year-old Michael Norman landed his first major 400m title in 44.29 seconds after finishing fifth at last year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. London Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada followed in second in 44.48 while Matthew Hudson-Smith from Britain came third in 44.66.

Two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of Bahamas lifted her first world title, clocking this season’s world leading time of 49.11 seconds to triumph in the women’s 400m.

Dominican Marileidy Paulino claimed silver in 49.60 while Sada Williams from Barbados took bronze, 0.15 further back.

Kimberly Garcia Leon of Peru won the inaugural women’s 35km race walk with two hours, 39 minutes and 16 seconds, a week after her gold over the 20km distance. Katarzyna Zdzieblo of Poland took silver in 2:40:03, and China’s Qieyang Shijie added another bronze in Eugene after the 20km race in 2:40:37.

On the field, China’s Olympic champion Liu Shiying could not bring out her full potential, finishing just outside the javelin throw podium where Australian Kelsey-Lee Barber defended her world championship glory with 66.91 meters. Kara Winger of the United States was second in 64.05 while Japanese Haruka Kitaguchi in 63.27.

The United States led both men’s and women’s 4x100m relay heats, with a world-leading time of 37.87 and 41.56 seconds respectively. ■