McLaughlin-Levrone breaks 48s barrier in historic 400m race

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman in nearly 40 years to crack 48 seconds in the 400 meters Thursday, running 47.78 in an historically fast one-lap race at the world championships.

- AGENCIES

Pushed by second-place finisher Marileidy Paulino, who clocked a 47.98 of he own on the rain-slickened track in Tokyo, McLaughlinLevrone captured her first global title in the 400 flat after dominating the hurdles for the last four years.

The second and thirdfastest times in history in this race trail only the 47.60 by East Germany's Marita Koch, set Oct. 6, 1985- one of the last remaining vestiges in track from an Eastern Bloc doping system that was exposed years after it ended.