Sydney McLaughlin sets new 400m hurdles World Record to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin set the world record in the women's 400-meter hurdles on Sunday night (local time) at the US Olympic track and field trials to qualify for her second Olympic Games.

The 21-year-old recorded a time of 51.90 seconds and became the first-ever woman to break the 52-second barrier as she completed a superb strategical race against reigning Olympic and world champion Dalilah Muhammad.

Dalilah Muhammad, who finished second in Sunday's final with 52.42sec, was the previous record-holder at 52.16 seconds. Anna Cockrell bagged the third qualifying spot for the Tokyo Olympics with a timing of 53.70 sec.

"Unreal. Pending ratification, @GoSydGo is the women's 400m hurdles world record holder (51.90). #TrackFieldTrials21," official Twitter of USA Track and Field wrote.

Sunday's night session at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, was postponed by over four hours because of extreme heat and resumed at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Later in the night, 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton finished in third place in the 200 meters and became the youngest male track Olympian since Jim Ryun in 1964. Knighton earned Olympic qualification after he improved his personal best to 19.84 seconds and broke his own Under-20 world record, which he had set earlier this week.

( With inputs from ANI )