Perfect mechanics and jumping speed. Sydney McLaughlin just made history. Photo. AP
We had to wait until the penultimate day of competition. It looked like he was never going to get there, but in the end there was a world record in Eugene 2022. It was phenomenal Sydney McLaughlin the one who broke the curse that seemed to weigh on this World Athletics Championships, the first in history to be held in the United States. With a stratospheric score of 50s68, the local athlete smashed his world record in the 400m hurdles. This is how this superstar, in an unprecedented demonstration, allowed himself the pleasure of winning his first gold in this type of competition in his homeland.
Hayward Field audiences knew better than anyone that a McLaughlin performance, which has already been seen breaking the world record three times in the past 13 months, would be staged on Friday night shift. The hurdler did not disappoint and with his astonishing 50s68s, he surpassed his previous record (51s41s) by more than seven tenths, set on this same stage on 25 June at the American tests.
“It’s unreal”, managed to say an exhausted and excited McLaughlin, still sitting on the track. And, while being applauded, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion said: “I am very grateful to have these fans supporting our team.”
The McLaughling brand. Photo: AFP
Observing McLaughlin’s performance from afar, Dutchman Femke Bol was silver with 52s27 and American Dalilah Muhammad, who was defending the Doha-2019 World Cup title, took bronze with 53s13. The same three medalists stepped onto the Olympic podium a year ago, with Muhammad winning silver on that occasion and Bol winning bronze.
“I knew the pressure would be there tonight. The time is absolutely incredible and the sport is getting faster and faster, ”McLaughlin later explained who, at 22, has no intention of slowing down:“ I’m just finding out what barriers can be broken. I can only go faster from here.
Stellar DNA
The New Jersey athlete reached his first world record, which was then held by his compatriot Muhammad in June 2021. He was in the US pre-Olympic trials, leaving him in 51s90. Later he improved it in the victory at the Tokyo National Stadium (51:46) and last June in the qualifying tests of Eugene.
“It is one of a kind,” summed up legendary sprinter Allyson Felix in a Twitter message. In view of McLaughlin’s feat on Friday, her time after overcoming 10 obstacles would have allowed her to overtake two runners in the final of the 400 meters, played a few minutes earlier with the triumph of the Bahamians Shaunae Miller-Uibo (49s11).
McLaughlin, who comes from an athletic family, began breaking records at a young age. Cadet and junior world record holder, the hurdler comes from a family of runners. His brother Taylor finished second in the 400m hurdles of the junior world in 2016 and his father, Willie, was semifinalist in the 400m at the US Olympic trials in 1984.
Sydney McLaughlin and the Bigfoot mascot after her world record. Photo: EFE
The young prodigy exploded onto the international stage in Rio de Janeiro 2016, just days after her 17th birthday, but didn’t make it through the semifinals. Her arrival in 2020 in the facility led by the famous Bob Kersee, former coach of his wife Jackie Joyner-Kersee and his fourth coach in five years, marked a turning point for this jewel of American athletics.
Given his unquestionable command of the test, McLaughlin acknowledged Friday that he is investigating a possible specialty switch. “I don’t know if that will happen. At the end of the season we will decide if we want to change the event or continue with the 400 obstacles.” Asked if the passage could involve the 400m sprint, McLaughlin replied: “I think anything is possible … but I leave it to my coach, Bobby. My coach believes that a lot more can be done. The sky is the limit, for sure. ”
Source: AFP
Source: Clarin
