Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone takes world lead in 400, a new event for the champion hurdler

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is well on her way to dominating another event.

Running the 400 meters at the USA track and field championships, McLaughlin-Levrone led throughout the entire race to win the event with a world-leading time of 48.74. McLaughlin-Levrone's time set a meet record and is also her personal best. The American record in the women's 400 is 48.70.

Britton Wilson captured the silver medal, crossing the finish line at 49.79. Talitha Diggs finished third with a personal-best time of 49.93.

McLaughlin-Levrone, Wilson and Diggs will advance to the World Track and Field Championships in Budapest, Hungary next month.

The 400 is a new event for McLaughlin-Levrone. The decorated track and field athlete previously competed in the 400-meter hurdles. She won gold in the 400-meter hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics and won at the 2022 world championships. She's broken the 400-meter hurdles world record multiple times and is the current world-record holder in the event at 50.68.  

"Here is somebody who literally did everything she could possibly do in one event, and she goes, ‘OK, I’ve done that. Let me start over in another event.’ To me it’s admirable what she is doing," NBC track and field analyst Ato Boldon said to Paste BN Sports.

Follow Paste BN Sports' Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.