TOKYO — Sydney McLaughlin keeps getting faster.
McLaughlin, who set a world record in the women’s 400 meters hurdles during the U.S. Olympic trials, broke her own record and won an Olympic gold medal Wednesday at Olympic Stadium.
McLaughlin was timed in 51.46 seconds, eclipsing her record of 51.90.
U.S. teammate Dalilah Muhammad, the 2016 gold medalist and previous world record holder, finished second with a personal-best of 51.58.
Anna Cockrell of the United States also was in the final, but she was disqualified.
After qualifying in rain-soaked evening semifinals on Monday, the final was contested in sunshine and heat.
McLaughlin had said she was not feeling pressure as the world-record holder.
“It’s one of those things, you acknowledge that it happened, but the job’s not done,” she said on Monday. “So just try to be better from there. Improve upon that last race at the trials and see how far I can go.”
In the final, McLaughlin ran in lane four, Muhammad in lane seven. They were close throughout and coming off the final turn. McLaughlin, however, would not be denied.
