TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 18: Gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States celebrates with the national flag of United States after winning the Women’s 400 Metres Final on day six of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on September 18, 2025. (Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone embarked on the journey of a lifetime in Tokyo, Japan, at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships. Two days after breaking the American Record in the 400-meter dash, McLaughlin-Levrone ran 47.78 to earn gold in the final.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s time places her second on the all-time list, just sixteen hundredths of a second off Marita Koch’s world record of 47.60. This is the first time in 39 years that any woman has run under 48 seconds in the 400-meter dash.
Following closely behind was reigning Olympic champion and 2023 world champion Marileidy Paulino. Paulino, from lane nine, ran 47.98 to move up to third on the all-time list. Paulino and McLaughlin-Levrone both dipped under the previous championship record to lead the greatest 400-meter dash final in history.
Bronze went to Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist. Eid Naser ran 48.19, the fastest time she has run since 2019.
The Fastest 400-Meter Dash Final In History
TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 18: Salwa Eid Naser of Team Bahrain (L) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States (R) compete in the Women’s 400 Metres Final on day six of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at National Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Similar to the Paris Olympic final, every woman in this race ran under 50 seconds. Poland’s national record holder and Olympic bronze medalist, Natalia Buckoweika, finished fourth, running 49.27 for a season’s best effort. In fifth place was Great Britain’s Amber Anning, who ran 49.36, which is also a season’s best. Roxana Gomez from Cuba was sixth, resetting her national record to 49.48. Norway’s Henriette Jaeger and Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce placed seventh and eighth to run 49.74 and 49.97, respectively.
When stopped in the mixed zone, McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about what her legendary coach Bobby Kersee said to her before the competition.
“This wasn’t my title to hold on to; it was my title to gain,” said McLaughlin-Levrone. “[Bobby Kersee] said, ‘You’ve got to go out there and take the belt. It’s not yours. You’ve got to earn it’.”
Bobby Kersee coached an abundance of athletes to success. Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Allyson Felix, Athing Mu-Nikolayev, and Dawn Harper-Nelson are a few of the athletes on his resume.
Kersee is no stranger to coaching world and American record holders and securing world and Olympic titles. He knew what it would take for McLaughlin-Levrone to not only clinch the victory but dominate her competition.
Even with her extraordinary talents, the newly crowned world champion knew she had a formidable field to go up against. Eid Naser and Paulino were third and fourth on the all-time list before this race today. Both women held the world champion title at least once in this event. Paulino has one Olympic gold, two Olympic silvers, and three Diamond League Final wins.
When Eid Naser won in Doha in 2019, her time of 48.14 was the fastest time since 1985. After putting a ten-meter gap on the field around the final turn and running the fastest anyone had ever run in 34 years, fans believed Eid Naser would be a strong contender for taking down Koch’s record. She was only 21 years old at the time.
Eid Naser and Paulino did what they do best in the 400 meters by taking out the first 200 meters hard. However, McLaughlin-Levrone was ready for the work and held on tight. She came through 200 meters in 22.95 with Paulino and Eid Naser trailing closely behind in 23.09 and 23.13, respectively.
Through 300 meters, Mclaughlin-Levrone just barely held the lead in 34.87. Paulino was close in 34.97. As they moved into the homestretch, McLaughlin-Levrone began to pull away from the field and earn her title. With about 50 meters to go, Paulino found an extra gear and began powering her way to the finish line, almost closing the gap between herself and McLaughlin-Levrone. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and she had to settle for second place. Despite earning silver, Paulino has much to be proud of, as she gave a valiant effort out of lane nine.
TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 18: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Image was captured using a remote camera.) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States (R) celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the gold medal followed by silver medalist Marileidy Paulino of Team Dominican Republic (L) and bronze medalist Salwa Eid Naser of Team Bahrain (C) during the Women’s 400 Metres Final on day six of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at National Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
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The next World Athletics Outdoor Championships will be held in Beijing, China, in 2027. If McLaughlin-Levrone decides to continue her 400-meter dash journey, she could become the first American to win two world titles in the event.
As McLaughlin continues to take the 400-meter hurdles and 400-meter dash to new heights, she may even consider competing in both at the LA Olympics in 2028 if the schedule allows, something accomplished by no athlete in history.
Those wishing to relive this 400-meter dash showdown can watch the race here on the NBC YouTube channel.
The action at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships continues tomorrow on Peacock and USA at 6:30 a.m. ET. Live results and the full competition schedule can be found here on the World Athletics website.