McLaughlin-Levrone wins 400m world title, nears record
American clocks 47.78 to win the 400m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, edging Marileidy Paulino; Marita Koch's 47.60 in 1985 remains the benchmark.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the 400-meter world title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sept. 18, 2025, clocking 47.78 seconds to finish two tenths ahead of Marileidy Paulino, who ran 47.98 for silver. The marks place them second and third fastest times in history, behind Marita Koch's 47.60 set in 1985.
The race unfolded as a rare head-to-head in the flat 400 for McLaughlin-Levrone, who had shifted from hurdles to the 400 this season. With the race tightening down the stretch, McLaughlin-Levrone opened a lead of roughly four strides with about 30 meters to go, but Paulino surged in the final meters and both crossed the line in a photo finish.
The victory reflects McLaughlin-Levrone's ongoing evolution. She began running the 400 flat in 2023 after injuries disrupted her pursuit of a hurdles title. She won Olympic gold in the hurdles the previous year, then returned to the flat for 2025 and posted a 48.29 semifinal American record before the final.
Coach Bobby Kersee described the training as designed to chase the sub 48. He noted brutal workouts with Willington Wright and said McLaughlin-Levrone embraced the challenge and earned the belt. He added that she is an amazing athlete with no complaints about the year.
Paulino emphasized her place in history and her gratitude for breaking the 48 barrier. She said she spent five years training for this moment and still felt like a winner even in defeat.
The race brought attention to the sport's enduring records, with Kochs 47.60 dating back to 1985, a time tied to the late Eastern Bloc era. It remains the standard for the event and a reminder of the sport's complicated history.
It is unclear whether McLaughlin-Levrone will stay in the 400 or return to the hurdles, where the 50-second barrier has hovered as a marquee milestone. Kersee suggested that the breakthrough time 47.78 could spur a run at 49.99 or better in the hurdles.
Other outcomes from the event included Salwa Eid Nasar finishing third in 48.19, a time that would have won the last two world championships. Britain’s Amber Anning finished fifth in 49.36, underscoring how quickly the specialty event has evolved.
The win highlights the rapid development of the 400 in the last few years, turning what was once considered a nearly unbreakable barrier into a more common target for elite women. The world record remains a rare pinnacle in track and field and a benchmark around which athletes train and strategize.
