Tokyo 2025: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone obliterates 400m American Record with minimal effort to qualify for world championships final

Without an iota of doubt, there are only three constants in nature: death, taxes, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaking track records when she pleases.

The World Record (WR) 400m Hurdles holder, who stepped down from her main event to compete in the 400m flat at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, obliterated Sanya Richards-Ross' long-standing American Record of 48.70s with a new jaw-dropping 48.29s to win her semifinal race.

Her astonishing time is the fastest ever recorded in a semifinal race in history, propelling her to sixth on the all-time world list.

McLaughlin-Levrone, running in her first full season in the 400m flat, is now the favourite for the world title in Tokyo, and if successful, will make her the first athlete in history to win a world title in the 400mH and the 400m event.

This confirms the generational talent that McLaughlin-Levrone is and she can practically succeed in any sprint event she wishes on the track.

With the women's 400m final in Tokyo set to be one for the ages, having top challengers in 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser and defending champion Marileidy Paulino, there's no doubt Marita Koch's long-standing world record of 47.60s is under threat and could finally be erased.