One of the most anticipated matchups at the Paris Olympics took place on the track Thursday evening at Stade de France, which pitted the only two athletes in history to run sub-51 for the 400 meter hurdles. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol were the stars everyone was looking forward to seeing – a head-to-head competition track fans have been looking forward to since they last met at the 2022 World Championships. The showdown was expected to be fast with talk of the two superstars pushing each other to further the already incomprehensible world record.
As the gun went off, Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone got out fast, however, through 200 meters their duo was a trio. USA’s Anna Cockrell, who is also known for starting her races in a fury, was in-step with the presumptive favorites.
As they made their turn for the final straightaway, Sydney began to pull away, however it was Cockrell who was closest to her as Bol began to fade. Sydney pushed to the finish line, the clock quickly ticking toward 50. As McLaughlin-Levrone broke the tape, the time read 50.37 seconds, bettering the world record time of 50.65 seconds she set just weeks ago at the USA Olympic Trials, another huge leap in the record books on the world’s biggest stage.
WATCH: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was UNCATCHABLE in world record 400m hurdles, via YouTube
Anna Cockrell’s fierce racing earned her the silver medal in a new personal best time of 51.87 seconds. She now sits as the fourth fastest woman on the all-time list.
Femke Bol repeated as Olympic bronze medalist in a time of 52.15 seconds, with Jasmine Jones of the USA running just off her shoulder in a fourth place finishing time of 52.29 seconds, a personal best.
