Sydney McLaughlin of the United States of America (USA) established a new world record Wednesday morning (August 4) (Tuesday night Jamaica time) at the Tokyo Olympic to capture the gold medal in the women’s 400 metres hurdles as Jamaica’s Janieve Russell ended fourth.

It was a spectacular race, with McLaughlin dipping inside her own world record of 51.90 seconds to set a new mark of 51.46s as second-placed finisher teammate Dalilah Muhammad also going under the old mark with a personal best of 51.58s.

McLaughlin had set the old mark at the USA’s Trials in Eugene, Oregan in June and the new mark also erased Jamaica’s Melanie Walker’s Olympic Games record of 52.64s seconds, which was done at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The bronze medal was won by Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who did a European area record of 52.03 with Russell completing the distance in a personal best of 53.08.

McLaughlin and Muhammad took control of the race early as they battled for the lead throughout with Muhammad slightly ahead coming into the homestretch.

She maintained the lead until the final hurdle when McLaughlin powered past her to win.

Meanwhile, with the three medallists leading by considerable distances, Russell took up the fourth position from the 200 metres and when challenged at the end of the curve, pulled away from Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine.