"Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman in nearly 40 years to crack 48 seconds in the 400 meters Thursday, achieving 47.78 in an historically fast one-lap race at the world championships. McLaughlin-Levrone had company. Second-place finisher Marileidy Paulino clocked 47.98 on the rain-slickened track in Tokyo. The second and third-fastest times in history trailed only the 47.60 by East Germany's Marita Koch in 1985 - one of the last remaining vestiges of an Eastern Bloc doping system that was exposed years after it ended."
"When she crossed the line, McLaughlin-Levrone, who moved over from the hurdles to see what she could do in the 400 flat race, looked over to the clock then put her hands on her head in apparent shock. In the lead-up to worlds, McLaughlin-Levrone insisted the women needed to think about breaking 48 before they could go after what was once thought to be an unapproachable world record."
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran 47.78 to become the first woman in nearly 40 years to break 48 seconds in the 400 meters, winning at the world championships in Tokyo. Marileidy Paulino finished second in 47.98 on a rain-slickened track, producing the second and third-fastest times in history behind Marita Koch's 47.60 from 1985. Koch's record remains controversial due to its association with an Eastern Bloc doping system exposed years later. McLaughlin-Levrone moved from hurdles to the 400 flat and reacted to her time with apparent shock. Other finalists, including Amber Anning, noted the event's rapid progression and increased competitiveness.
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