The 21-year-old runs 51.90 at the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene on a night that sees teenager Athing Mu storm to a 1:56.07 800m win, while JuVaughn Harrison wins high and long jump double
The last day of the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, finished with a fantastic flourish as Sydney McLaughlin led a number of spectacular performances with a world record in the women’s 400m of 51.90.
Conditions were so warm, the timetable was delayed by four hours because of the heatwave in the area. But when the athletes took to the track they thrived in the high temperatures with McLaughlin beating world record-holder and world champion Dalilah Muhammad in tremendous style.
Muhammad and Shamier Little were fairly level with McLaughlin coming into the home straight but McLaughlin surged clear in the closing metres to become the first woman to break the 52-second barrier as runner-up Muhammad ran 52.42.
Anna Cockrell finished strongly for third in 53.70 as Little faded to fourth in 53.85.
“A lot of the things you can’t see coming, but this is the result of trusting the process,” said McLaughlin. “Working with my new coach (Bobby Kersee) and my new support system is truly just faith and trusting the process. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Athing Mu (Getty)
Another prodigious talent, Athing Mu, enjoyed an emphatic win in the women’s 800m as she ran 1:56.07. Her American junior record time was the second fastest ever by an American, and it beat Meredith Rainey’s meeting record that had survived since 1997.
Mu followed Channelle Price through the bell in 57.53 but then pushed on, passing 600m in 87.58 and covering the final 200m in 28.49. Behind, Raevyn Rogers finished strongly to come second in a PB of 1:57.66 while Ajee’ Wilson was third in 1:58.39.
More phenomenal performances came in the men’s high jump and long jump as JuVaughn Harrison chalked up a brilliant double victory.
JuVaughn Harrison (Getty)
Harrison became the first American to qualify for the Olympics in those two events since the legendary Jim Thorpe in 1912.
His long jump winning mark was 8.47m as he beat Marquis Dendy (8.38m) and Steffin McCarter (8.26m).
In the high jump, Harrison and runner-up Darryl Sullivan jumped 2.33m with third-placed Shelby McEwen jumping 2.30m as Erik Kynard was fourth with 2.27m.
A dramatic men’s 1500m final saw Cole Hocker out-kick Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz to take the win in a PB 3:35.28. Centrowitz had led in the latter stages but Hocker caught him just before the line to take the win as Yared Nuguse took third place and Craig Engels was fourth which could be of note as Hocker does not have the necessary qualifying time.
Cole Hocker beats Matt Centrowitz (Getty)
As the meeting came to a close, Noah Lyles won the men’s 200m in 19.74 to beat Kenny Bednarek, who set a PB of 19.78, as Erriyon Knighton again broke the world under-20 and under-18 records with 19.84.
Fred Kerley, who qualified for the 100m earlier in the championships, was fourth in 19.90.
Elsewhere, Annie Kunz scored a heptathlon win with 6703 as Kendell Williams was second with 6683.
In the men’s 5000m, Paul Chelimo took his third US title with 13:26.82 to edge out Grant Fisher and trials 10,000m winner Woody Kincaid. In a last lap burn-up, Chelimo ran a 52.83 last lap in a race that saw NCAA champion Cooper Teare miss out on selection in fourth after having too much to do in the latter stages.
To read all reports on the trials, plus complete results, go to our clubhouse section here
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